Compare towns
Durham vs Brewer 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 people working from home (19.4%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Brewer | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
9,652Lowest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 47% below U.S. |
40.1±4.8Highest 3% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25k 39% 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 | $504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45k 50% 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 | $1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Brewer Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Brewer High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
14.0Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 51 photos → | 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.