Compare towns
Durham vs Brookline vs Nottingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Nottingham has the most affordable homes ($458k 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 | Durham | Brookline | Nottingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
5,736 |
5,357Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
41.2±1.5Highest 5% below NH |
38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
| Brookline and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
18.4%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
40.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$122,201±$20k 23% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$457,500±$26kLowest 14% above NH |
| Brookline and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$2,068±$1k 39% above NH |
| Brookline and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,319Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
1.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1992 13 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Nottingham 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #15 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Brookline School District | Nottingham School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.