Compare towns
Dorchester vs Durham vs Franconia vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Dorchester | Durham | Franconia | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 410Lowest |
15,080Highest |
1,060 |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
55.6±7 28% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
| Dorchester and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
36.6%±6.7 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.9% NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Lyme and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
| Lyme and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,281±$278Lowest 14% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
| Durham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,451 12% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
11.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
20 min 25% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Lafayette Regional School District | Lyme School District |
| High school 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 → | 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.