Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Claremont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Claremont has the most kids (19.1% 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 | Cornish | Durham | Claremont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
15,080Highest |
13,078 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.6±3.5 about the NH average |
| Cornish and Claremont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±2.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Claremont and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.8%±3.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Claremont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
21.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$59,096±$8kLowest 40% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$204,600±$17kLowest 49% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,146±$83Lowest 23% below NH |
| Durham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,774Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
63.6%±12.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Claremont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
13.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
57.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1957Lowest 22 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
8.6%±2.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Cornish 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 | #103 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Claremont School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Stevens High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.