Compare towns
Durham vs Wells vs Durham
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 renters (46.4% rent).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
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 | Wells | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
11,713 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3 47% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| 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 50% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| 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 8% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Wells 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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 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.