Compare towns
Durham vs Hampton vs Seabrook Beach
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).
Hampton has the most kids (11.6% under 18).
Seabrook Beach has the most people working from home (39.5%).
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 | Hampton | Seabrook Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681 |
16,426Highest |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
55.8±2.1 29% above NH |
62±3.8Highest 43% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2 NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
5.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
42.1%±7.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
2.2%±3.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$95,233±$9k 4% below NH |
$93,571±$43kLowest 6% below NH |
| Durham and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
$550,200±$39k 37% above NH |
$920,900±$75kHighest 129% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,628±$94 9% above NH |
$1,725±$575Highest 16% above NH |
| Seabrook Beach and Hampton 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 |
$6,813Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
90.5%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Seabrook Beach and Hampton 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% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.8% NH: 72.8% |
74.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
39.5%±20Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Seabrook Beach and Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Winnacunnet High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.