Compare towns
Candia vs Durham vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Candia has the most affordable homes ($416k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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.
| Measure | Candia | Durham | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,134Lowest |
10,681Highest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Candia and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.1%±4.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Candia and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.6 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,737±$37k 21% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
| Lee and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,600±$46kLowest 3% above NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,213±$554Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,302±$211Highest 13% below NH |
— |
| Durham and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,100Lowest 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±21.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #41 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Candia School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
NH 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.