Here's this week's look at rents across the Seacoast. The average apartment in Portsmouth is running $2,433/month, Dover at $2,297, Somersworth at $1,947, and Rochester at $1,900. Spring leasing season is picking up — Dover currently has the most active listings of the four cities at roughly 446, which tracks with the new construction activity along the Cocheco River and downtown.
The table below breaks it down by unit type, from studios all the way through 3-bedrooms. Rochester studios at $947 are the most affordable entry point on the Seacoast right now, while 3-bedrooms are commanding a premium everywhere — Dover's 3BR average of $3,212 is actually the highest of the four cities, even above Portsmouth's $2,815.
Rent by Unit Type & Active Supply
| City | Studio | 1-BR | 2-BR | 3-BR | Active Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | $1,884 | $2,326 | $2,505 | $2,815 | ~360 |
| Dover | $1,317 | $1,818 | $2,104 | $3,212 | ~446 |
| Somersworth | $1,515 | $1,949 | $1,980 | $2,995 | ~278 |
| Rochester | $947 | $1,262 | $1,671 | $3,020 | ~111 |
All rent and listing data sourced from Apartments.com (as of March 2026). Averages reflect currently listed units and may shift as inventory changes. Week-over-week supply tracking will be added in future editions.
- 3-bedrooms are commanding a premium everywhere. Dover's 3BR average of $3,212 is actually the highest of all four cities — above even Portsmouth at $2,815. Rochester and Somersworth 3BRs are both right around $3,000. If you own larger units anywhere on the Seacoast, the 3BR segment is performing well relative to smaller unit types.
- Dover has the deepest inventory right now. With ~446 active listings compared to Rochester's ~111, Dover has four times the available supply. That tracks with the new apartment construction along the Cocheco River corridor and downtown. Rye, Hampton, and other coastal Rockingham towns continue to have almost no multifamily rental inventory by comparison.
- HB 631 takes effect July 1. The bill requires all NH municipalities to allow multifamily development in commercial zones. For Seacoast towns with significant commercial-zoned land — particularly along Route 1 in Portsmouth, Central Avenue in Dover, and Route 11 in Rochester — this could change what gets proposed and built near existing rental properties over the next few years.