Compare towns
Durham vs Dover vs Auburn 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
Durham has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dover has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Dover | Auburn | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,681 |
33,364Highest |
6,119Lowest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
| Auburn and Dover 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% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Dover 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% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Auburn and Dover 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 |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Dover School District | Auburn School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.