Compare towns
Berlin vs Dummer vs Effingham vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($131k median).
Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
Effingham has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Gorham has the oldest population (median age 53.9).
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 | Berlin | Dummer | Effingham | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,383Highest |
299Lowest |
1,912 |
2,682 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— | +15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.8Lowest 3% above NH |
53.6±6.4 24% above NH |
46.9±12.4 8% above NH |
53.9±3.6Highest 24% above NH |
| Gorham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.4%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Effingham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Gorham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
16.9% NH: 40.6% |
20.3% NH: 40.6% |
20.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1 NH: 6% |
0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.7%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,180±$5kLowest 54% below NH |
$91,250±$21kHighest 8% below NH |
$76,607±$14k 23% below NH |
$61,275±$7k 38% below NH |
| Dummer and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $131,000±$15kLowest 67% below NH |
$242,200±$51k 40% below NH |
$322,700±$30kHighest 20% below NH |
$161,600±$49k 60% below NH |
| Effingham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $815±$141Lowest 45% below NH |
— | $1,090±$121Highest 27% below NH |
$838±$83 44% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,437 48% below NH |
$2,898Lowest 57% below NH |
$5,163Highest 23% below NH |
$4,334 35% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±12Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
13.6%±40.4 NH: 48.2% |
41%±20.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Berlin and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9% NH: 7.2% |
9% NH: 7.2% |
4.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
71.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 41 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below NH |
25 min 6% below NH |
32 minHighest 18% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 3.5%±2.1 NH: 16.8% |
6.8%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
16.1%±4.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #108 of 120 in NH | — | — | #57 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Berlin School District | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Berlin Senior High School | — | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | — | 9.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.