Compare towns
Brookline vs Durham vs Hyde Park
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Durham | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531 |
15,080Highest |
513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
42.6±10.1 10% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$89,946±$10k 11% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,306±$285Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,893Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #59 of 70 in VT |
| 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 |
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.