Compare towns

Durham vs Lee vs Berwick vs Lebanon

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 youngest population (median age 20.1).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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.

MeasureDurhamLeeBerwickLebanon
People
Population
10,681
4,576Lowest
8,175
14,999Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
20.1±0.2Lowest
48% below U.S.
42.9±1.9Highest
10% above U.S.
40.7±2.9
5% above U.S.
38.9±3.1
about the U.S. average
Lee and Berwick 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%
21.9%±5.6
U.S.: 22%
22.7%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±2.4
U.S.: 22%
Berwick and Lee 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%
22.6%±6.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.2%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
21.4%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Lee and Lebanon 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%
50.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
35%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
57.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
70.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.9%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$112,070±$25k
39% above U.S.
$131,579±$54kHighest
63% above U.S.
$94,771±$24kLowest
17% above U.S.
$98,147±$10k
22% above U.S.
Lee 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±$45kHighest
50% above U.S.
$480,600±$61k
44% above U.S.
$369,100±$19kLowest
11% above U.S.
$385,400±$29k
16% above U.S.
Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,302±$211Lowest
8% below U.S.
—
$1,452±$430
about the U.S. average
$1,744±$132Highest
23% above U.S.
Lebanon and Berwick 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.
$9,661
210% above U.S.
$4,436Lowest
42% above U.S.
$8,149
161% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.4%±19.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.3%±53.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±46
U.S.: 51.1%
41.9%±7.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Berwick 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%
2.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
53.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
51.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1987
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 min
35% below U.S.
28 min
4% above U.S.
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
14 minLowest
47% below U.S.
Work from home
15.6%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
27.6%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.2%±7.6
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±4.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Lee and Lebanon 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 #3 of 120 in NH #101 of 133 in ME #29 of 120 in NH
School district — Oyster River Coop School District RSU 60/MSAD 60 Lebanon School District
High school in town — None in town None in town Lebanon High School
Students per teacherat that high school — — —
11.7
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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.