Compare towns
Calais vs Durham vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
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 | Calais | Durham | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713 |
15,080Highest |
1,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
42.4±6Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Durham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$402,600±$71k 21% above U.S. |
| Durham and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,372±$80Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586 111% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,038Lowest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais 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 | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Oyster River Coop School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| 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.