Compare towns
Durham vs Durham vs Manchester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Manchester has the oldest population (median age 38).
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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
15,080 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
38±1Highest 12% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| 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 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,564±$37Highest 5% above NH |
| Manchester 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 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Lowest 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
24 minHighest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 6 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.