Compare towns
Durham vs Madbury vs St. Albans
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 homeowners (82.9%).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
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 | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
2,203Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
38.7±2Highest about the U.S. average |
| St. Albans 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% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and St. Albans 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% |
14.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Madbury and St. Albans 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% |
31.7%Lowest 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% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below 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±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Durham and Madbury 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. |
$1,574±$759Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% 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% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and St. Albans 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Madbury 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.