Compare towns
Deerfield vs Manchester 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
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($366k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
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 | Deerfield | Manchester | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,932Lowest |
115,643Highest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2Highest about the NH average |
38±1 12% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Deerfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Deerfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Deerfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10kHighest 33% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Deerfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,000±$33k 5% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
| Durham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318Highest 7% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Deerfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,369 11% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Deerfield School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 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.