Compare towns
Durham vs Kensington vs Lyme
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Kensington | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
2,009 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
43.3±5.9 about the NH average |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme and Kensington 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% |
17.1%±2.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Kensington 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% |
18.8%±2.9 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
48.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
| Kensington and Lyme 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 |
$657,700±$47kHighest 63% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
| Kensington 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 |
$1,813±$627Highest 22% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
| Kensington and Lyme 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 |
$9,637Lowest 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Lyme 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% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Kensington 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Kensington School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.