Compare towns
Durham vs Amherst vs Brookline
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 youngest population (median age 20.8).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Amherst | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
11,861 |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
| Amherst and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Amherst 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 |
$9,773Lowest 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brookline 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.