Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Durham vs Carroll
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethlehem has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Carroll has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Bethlehem | Durham | Carroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537 |
15,080Highest |
659Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5 17% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
62.4±4.8Highest 44% above NH |
| Carroll and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
7%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bethlehem and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18k 14% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$64,821±$26kLowest 35% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22k 28% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$261,500±$42kLowest 35% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 21% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,078±$241Lowest 28% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418 19% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,356Lowest 50% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
28%±47.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
22 minHighest 19% below NH |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
4.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem and Durham 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
12.3Highest |
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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.