Compare towns
Calais vs Durham vs Dummerston vs Middlesex
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 kids (22.5% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Dummerston | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
15,080Highest |
2,090 |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston 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% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%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% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
| Durham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| 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. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| 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.