Compare towns
Durham vs Milford vs Auburn
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).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Milford | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681 |
16,337Highest |
6,119Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Auburn and Milford 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Auburn 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% |
15.1%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Milford and Auburn 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 NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$97,768±$14kLowest about the NH average |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Milford 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 |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Milford 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% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Milford School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | — | Milford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.