Compare towns

Brookline vs Henniker 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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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.

MeasureBrooklineHennikerDurham
People
Population
5,736Lowest
6,197
10,681Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13%
NH: +4.6%
+27.9%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+7.8%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.2±1.5Highest
5% below NH
31.1±6.1
28% below NH
20.1±0.2Lowest
54% below NH
Kids under 18
26.7%±4Highest
NH: 18.2%
15.3%±3.7
NH: 18.2%
6.5%±2Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
11.4%±2.1
NH: 20.1%
16.5%±6Highest
NH: 20.1%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
NH: 20.1%
Henniker and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
57.7%
NH: 40.6%
41.4%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
75.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.3%±3.2Lowest
NH: 6%
27%±6.5
NH: 6%
70.2%±1.6Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$171,046±$4kHighest
73% above NH
$95,206±$21kLowest
4% below NH
$112,070±$25k
13% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$544,400±$38kHighest
35% above NH
$356,700±$49kLowest
11% below NH
$498,000±$45k
24% 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
$1,081±$164Lowest
27% below NH
$1,302±$211
13% below NH
Brookline and Durham 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
$8,877Lowest
33% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
23.8%±43.5Lowest
NH: 48.2%
43.5%±22.6
NH: 48.2%
55.4%±19.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
Durham and Henniker 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%
11.6%
NH: 7.2%
12.4%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%Highest
NH: 72.8%
64.5%
NH: 72.8%
53.6%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1993Highest
14 yrs newer than NH
1974
5 yrs older than NH
1973Lowest
6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
25% above NH
20 min
24% below NH
17 minLowest
36% below NH
Work from home
24.7%±5.8Highest
NH: 16.8%
15.5%±5.6Lowest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±3.3
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 #56 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH
School district Brookline School District Henniker School District —
High school in town None in town None in town —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.