Compare towns
Dummer vs Durham vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($498k median).
Columbia has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | Dummer | Durham | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
10,681Highest |
683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-12.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 24% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
51.8±10.1 20% above NH |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
29.9%±8.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Columbia and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
14.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21k 8% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$57,917±$13kLowest 42% below NH |
| Durham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51k 40% below NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$196,400±$29kLowest 51% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,302±$211Highest 13% below NH |
$792±$333Lowest 47% below NH |
| Durham and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898 57% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$2,009Lowest 70% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
9.1%±95.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Columbia 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 | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.