Compare towns
Durham vs Townsend vs Lee
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Townsend | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
9,100 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Lee and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Townsend 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
| Lee and Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
| Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
— |
| Townsend and Durham 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. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Townsend 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.