Compare towns
Durham vs Exeter vs Milford
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%).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% 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 | Exeter | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
16,151 |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$97,768±$14kLowest about the NH average |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
| Durham and Exeter 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±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Milford 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8Lowest 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% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.