Portsmouth is a medium-sized coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Rhode Island. With a population of 17,659 people and four associated neighborhoods, Portsmouth is the 20th largest community in Rhode Island.

Housing costs in Portsmouth are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Rhode Island.

Of important note, Portsmouth is also a town of artists. Portsmouth has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Portsmouth’s character.

Also of interest is that Portsmouth has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 13.48% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Portsmouth is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Portsmouth’s overall crime rate ranks among the lowest in the country, making it one of the safest places to raise a family.

One of the nice things about Portsmouth is that it is nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Because of this, visitors and locals will often go to these areas to take in the scenery or to enjoy waterfront activities.

If knowledge is power, Portsmouth is a pretty powerful place. 59.19% of the adults in Portsmouth have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.

The per capita income in Portsmouth in 2022 was $60,121, which is wealthy relative to Rhode Island and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $240,484 for a family of four.

The people who call Portsmouth home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Portsmouth residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Portsmouth include Irish, English, Italian, Portuguese, and German.

The most common language spoken in Portsmouth is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and German/Yiddish.