Compare towns
Durham vs Madbury vs Eliot 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).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Madbury | Eliot | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,681 |
2,203Lowest |
7,146 |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10kLowest 22% 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. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Durham 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. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Lebanon 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.