Compare towns

Cambridge vs Durham vs Durham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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.

MeasureCambridgeDurhamDurham
People
Population
3,767Lowest
10,681
15,080Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.9%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.4±1.8Highest
4% below U.S.
20.1±0.2Lowest
48% below U.S.
20.8±0.3
47% below U.S.
Kids under 18
23%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
6.5%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
14.4%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Cambridge and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
50.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.9%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
70.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$72,344±$19kLowest
10% below U.S.
$112,070±$25k
39% above U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$343,000±$38kLowest
3% above U.S.
$498,000±$45k
50% above U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,183±$66Lowest
16% below U.S.
$1,302±$211
8% below U.S.
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,910Lowest
57% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
66.6%±7.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.4%±19.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16
U.S.: 51.1%
Cambridge and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
70.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
53.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 minHighest
23% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
Work from home
9.9%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.6%±3.3
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Durham 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 #25 of 70 in VT #9 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH
School district Cambridge School District — Oyster River Coop School District
High school in town None in town — Oyster River High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.3
On TownTapestry
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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.