Compare towns
Durham vs Durham vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Durham | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
15,080 |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3 47% below U.S. |
39.4±2.9Highest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Durham and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kLowest 39% above U.S. |
| Durham 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 8% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Durham 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 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Gorham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.