Compare towns
Durham vs Lyme vs Canaan vs Henniker
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).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
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 | Lyme | Canaan | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
1,710Lowest |
3,811 |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
31.1±6.1 28% below NH |
| Lyme and Canaan 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% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Henniker 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
70.1% NH: 40.6% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
| Lyme 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 24% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$1,418±$130Highest 5% below NH |
$1,140±$90 24% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Lyme 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 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
77.3% NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #83 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Lyme School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.