Compare towns
Durham vs St. Albans vs White River Junction
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 most expensive homes ($498k median).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | St. Albans | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
6,954 |
3,364Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
38.7±2Highest about the U.S. average |
33.7±3.2 13% below U.S. |
| St. Albans and White River Junction 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% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and White River Junction 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% |
13.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| St. Albans and White River Junction 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
| Durham and White River Junction 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. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,651 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| White River Junction 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school 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.