Compare towns
Brookline vs Dover vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
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 | Brookline | Dover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
33,364Highest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Brookline and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.