What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the most expensive homes ($498k median).

Dorchester has the oldest population (median age 56).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Durham	Dorchester
People
Population	10,681Highest	410Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.8% NH: +4.6%	—
Median age	20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH	56±10.5Highest 29% above NH
Kids under 18	6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2%	11.2%±4.4Highest NH: 18.2%
	Dorchester and Durham 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%	39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.4%Highest NH: 40.6%	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6%	0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,070±$25k 13% above NH	—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH	$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$211 13% below NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$3,779Lowest 43% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Durham and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	18.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973 6 yrs older than NH	1973 6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below NH	40 minHighest 50% above NH
Work from home	15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%	12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Durham and Dorchester 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 Our Story	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.