Compare towns
Durham vs Brewer vs Hermon
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 affordable homes ($245k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
9,652 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Hermon and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer and Hermon 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Durham and Hermon 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. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Hermon 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. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | #32 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Brewer Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Brewer High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
14.0 |
14.6Highest |
| 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.