Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Brighton vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Brighton | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891 |
1,167Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Brighton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35k 41% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 43% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Brighton 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 | — | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Brighton School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
U.S. 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.