Compare towns
Brookline vs Durham vs Windham vs Panton
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 affordable homes ($291k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Panton has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Windham | Panton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
15,080Highest |
594 |
690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.7±3.8 10% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Panton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Brookline 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% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%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% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$86,667±$10k 7% above U.S. |
| Durham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$438,000±$40k 32% above U.S. |
| Durham and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,410±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,695 115% 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% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Panton and Brookline 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 | 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.