Compare towns
Center Harbor vs Rollinsford vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Center Harbor | Rollinsford | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 955Lowest |
2,626 |
10,681Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.8% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
38.8±5.5 10% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Rollinsford and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.1% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,313±$16k 5% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
| Durham and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$74k 15% above NH |
$398,100±$33kLowest about the NH average |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
| Durham and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,809±$394Highest 21% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Rollinsford and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667Lowest 30% below NH |
$6,851 about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Rollinsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.2% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford 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 | — | #94 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Rollinsford School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.