Rockingham County, New Hampshire Eviction Risk: Moderate

Rockingham County scores 4/10 (Moderate) across its 11 tracked cities, placing it in the middle third of New Hampshire's 10 counties. Five counties in the state carry higher eviction risk, and four sit in friendlier territory, so landlords here face conditions that are neither dramatically permissive nor punishing. The county's average rent of $1,688 and a rent burden rate of 31.7% suggest that a meaningful share of tenants are already stretched, which is worth pricing into screening decisions and reserve planning.

The intra-county spread, from 4.1/10 at the low end to 5.4/10 at the high end, tells a more nuanced story. That 1.3-point gap means city selection within Rockingham County matters almost as much as county selection itself. Investors targeting lower-friction markets should look beyond the county headline and compare city-level scores before committing to a specific submarket.

The cities inside Rockingham County

Portsmouth, the county's largest city at 22,545 residents, ties for the highest risk score in the county at 5.4/10, alongside smaller Newmarket (5,679 residents, 3.9/10). Derry, the second-largest city with 21,339 residents, comes in at 4/10, matched by Exeter (9,964 residents) and Hampton Beach. Raymond and Hampton each score 4.1/10, while Epping also sits at 3.8/10. Londonderry, at 4.1/10, represents the relative low end of the risk range among the more populous cities.

The pattern here is that risk does not simply track population. Newmarket, a fraction of Portsmouth's size, carries the same score as the county's largest market. Landlords evaluating multi-property strategies across Rockingham County should treat each city as its own underwriting decision rather than assuming the county average applies uniformly.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Rockingham County operate under New Hampshire state law, specifically RSA § 540 (Actions Against Tenants). For non-payment, the required notice is 7 days. Lease violations and no-cause terminations both require 30 days notice. New Hampshire does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and there is no statewide rent cap. Once a case is filed, an uncontested eviction typically resolves in 30 to 50 days; a contested case can run 60 to 120 days. For a full breakdown of timeline and fees, the New Hampshire eviction process guide covers each step. Court filing fees run $130 to $195, sheriff lockout fees add $30 to $125, and attorney fees commonly range from $500 to $2,500, meaning a contested case can cost well into four figures before it resolves. Landlords who want to understand upfront exposure should also review New Hampshire eviction costs before structuring their financials.

With a poverty rate of 5.2% and a renter share of 37% across the county's 11 cities, conditions vary enough that the city-level grid above is the most useful starting point for any acquisition or portfolio review in Rockingham County.