Compare towns
Durham vs Exeter vs Lyme vs Newfields
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 youngest population (median age 20.1).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Exeter | Lyme | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,681 |
16,151Highest |
1,710Lowest |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Newfields 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% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
68.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Newfields and Lyme 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 |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields and Exeter 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 |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Newfields 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lyme School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.