Compare towns
Durham vs Rollinsford vs Dover vs Durham
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
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 | Rollinsford | Dover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,681 |
2,626Lowest |
33,364Highest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
38.8±5.5Highest 10% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
| Rollinsford and Dover 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% |
17.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Rollinsford and Dover 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% |
19.8%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Rollinsford and Dover 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% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham 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 |
$398,100±$33kLowest about the NH average |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham 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 13% below NH |
$1,809±$394Highest 21% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Rollinsford and Dover 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 |
$6,851Lowest about the NH average |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham 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% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% NH: 72.8% |
78.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford and Durham 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 | #94 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Rollinsford School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.