Compare towns
Brookfield vs Durham vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most homeowners (98.4%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Lyman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Brookfield | Durham | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567 |
15,080Highest |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7 34% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
60.8±6.5Highest 40% above NH |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±6.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyman and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.6%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31k 18% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$71,042±$17kLowest 28% below NH |
| Durham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$311,100±$66kLowest 23% below NH |
| Durham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,147±$81Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926 11% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,981Lowest 40% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
58.3%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
14.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
89.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Brookfield 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 | — | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.