Compare towns
Durham vs Hartford vs Cornish
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 expensive homes ($498k median).
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Hartford | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681 |
10,736Highest |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Hartford 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
| Durham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Durham and Cornish 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. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Hartford 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Hartford School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | — | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.