Compare towns
Durham vs Brookline vs Worcester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Brookline | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
531Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester 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 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Worcester 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% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Worcester 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% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Brookline 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. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Brookline 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% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| 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.