| Incorporated: 1631 |
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| Origin: This territory was a part of the original land grant to John Mason and Francisco Gorges in 1622. A township grant was issued by the council of Plymouth (MA) in 1631 which covered what is now Portsmouth and the harbor, Greenland, Rye, New Castle, and Newington. First called Piscataqua, the settlement became known as Strawberry Banke because of the wild strawberries that were found there. The name Portsmouth was adopted in 1653 to honor John Mason, Captain of the Port in Portsmouth, England, and because it was a good harbor situated at the river's mouth. Already an important center of trade and shipping, Portsmouth became capitol of the province of New Hampshire in 1679, and was incorporated as a city in 1849. |
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| Villages and Place Names: Atlantic Heights, Christian Shore, Creek Area, Elwyn Park, Meadowbrook, Pannaway Manor, Portsmouth Plains, Haymarket Square, Sagamore Hill, Strawbery Banke, the Woodlands |
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| Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 4720 residents in 1790 |
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| Population Trends: Population change for Portsmouth was a negative 3,775 over 50 years, from 25.717 in 1970 down to 21,942 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 21 percent decrease from 1990 to 2000. The city's population increased by six percent from 2010 to 2020. The 2023 Census estimate for Portsmouth was 22,733 residents, which ranked 13th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns. |
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| Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 1,448.0 persons per square mile of land area. Portsmouth contains 15.7 square miles of land area and 1.1 square miles of inland water area. |
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