Compare towns

Durham vs Hartford vs Durham vs Madbury

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).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% 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.

MeasureDurhamHartfordDurhamMadbury
People
Population
10,681
10,736
15,080Highest
2,203Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
20.1±0.2Lowest
48% below U.S.
43.2±3.9Highest
11% above U.S.
20.8±0.3
47% below U.S.
37.7±2.1
3% below U.S.
Hartford and Madbury 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%±3
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1
U.S.: 22%
29%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
7.5%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
22.5%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6
U.S.: 17.2%
14.3%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
47.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
52.6%
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%
55.1%±3.2
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$112,070±$25k
39% above U.S.
$78,125±$7kLowest
3% below U.S.
$124,056±$21k
54% above U.S.
$148,365±$30kHighest
84% above U.S.
Madbury 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.
$304,500±$26kLowest
8% below U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$476,900±$31k
43% 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.
$1,218±$118Lowest
14% below U.S.
$1,429±$143
about the U.S. average
$1,574±$759Highest
11% above U.S.
Madbury 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.
$5,773Lowest
85% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.4%±19.2
U.S.: 51.1%
44.6%±12.7
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
16.7%±15.2Lowest
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%
11.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
53.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
82.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
18 min
30% below U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
25 minHighest
4% below U.S.
Work from home
15.6%±3.3
U.S.: 15.1%
13.9%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Durham 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 #34 of 70 in VT #9 of 120 in NH —
School district — Hartford School District Oyster River Coop School District Oyster River Coop School District
High school in town — Hartford High School Oyster River High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
9.6Lowest
12.3Highest
—
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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.