Compare towns
Durham vs Thornton vs Henniker
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 most expensive homes ($498k median).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
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 | Thornton | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
2,799Lowest |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.8% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
31.1±6.1 28% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Henniker and Thornton 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%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Thornton and Henniker 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% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
| Durham and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Highest 13% below NH |
$1,270±$428 15% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Durham and Thornton 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 |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Durham 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% |
9.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 minHighest 15% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | #18 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Thornton School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.