Environment: 6Transportation: 2Safety: 5Health: 6Amenities: 6Shops: 5Education: 1Quality of Life: 9Cost of Living: 9Employment: 6
Pros: Portsmouth is a lovely little coastal city with great water views throughout. It has an extensive history and the Olde Towne dates back to the 18th century. There are many charming historic neighborhoods here. I moved here from a neighboring city due to the low cost of living and have been pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoy living here. It’s small, so has a lot less traffic than other cities nearby and it’s the most centrally located of the Seven Cities.
Cons: There is a reputation for crime-particularly gun violence. I haven’t witnessed this and have personally never felt unsafe here however. I think much is confined to specific areas, but it is a problem and needs to be improved along with the issues in the city government. We also send our children to private school because the schools here are generally poor. Being divided from other areas by tolls is also a negative.