Compare towns
Auburn vs Durham vs Durham vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Auburn | Durham | Durham | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119Lowest |
10,681 |
15,080Highest |
11,685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
| Hanover and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
| Hanover and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Oyster River High School | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.