Compare towns
Durham vs Sidney vs Rochester
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).
Sidney has the most homeowners (89.4%).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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 | Sidney | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681 |
4,790Lowest |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Rochester 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% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Sidney 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% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Sidney 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. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$1,369±$72Highest 3% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Sidney 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. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$5,334 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Rochester 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% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.