Compare towns
Cornish vs Durham vs Lee vs Westmoreland
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 affordable homes ($296k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Lee has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
Westmoreland has the oldest population (median age 55.3).
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 | Lee | Westmoreland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
15,080Highest |
4,576 |
2,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
-9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 25% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
55.3±2.2Highest 28% above NH |
| Westmoreland and Cornish 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% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Westmoreland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Westmoreland and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
47.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$104,444±$28k 5% above NH |
| Lee and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$351,800±$12k 13% below NH |
| Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
— | $1,354±$280 9% below NH |
| Durham and Westmoreland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$6,643 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
32.5%±23.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
89.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6.3 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Westmoreland School District |
| 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 Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 10 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.