Compare towns
Durham vs Wells vs Lebanon
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Wells | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Lowest |
11,713 |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Lebanon 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% 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% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
| Durham and Lebanon 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. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Durham and Wells 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. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Lebanon 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. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Wells 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| 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.