Compare towns
Durham vs Durham vs Saco
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).
Saco has the oldest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
15,080 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
20.8±0.3 47% below U.S. |
44.9±1.5Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%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% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| 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 50% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% 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±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$4,807Lowest 54% 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% |
50.3%±14Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Saco 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 | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.