Compare towns
Bath vs Durham vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Bath | Durham | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
15,080Highest |
786Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
51±10.4Highest 18% above NH |
| Monroe and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±7.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.3%±8.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Monroe and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
25.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$88,150±$7k 11% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$312,700±$58k 22% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,104±$218Lowest 26% below NH |
| Bath and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413 34% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$2,661Lowest 60% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
48%±39 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
3.2%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bath School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Monroe School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.