Compare towns
Brentwood vs Durham vs Eliot vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brentwood has the highest household income ($166k).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Brentwood | Durham | Eliot | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,641 |
15,080Highest |
7,146 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±3.1 13% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,509±$23kHighest 105% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
| Brentwood and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $528,100±$75kHighest 59% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Brentwood and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,217±$654Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
— |
| Brentwood and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,713 211% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.9%±37.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 15 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Brentwood 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 | #16 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brentwood School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | 51 photos → | None yet | 10 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.