Compare towns
Durham vs Cornish vs Exeter vs Durham
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 highest household income ($124k).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
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 | Cornish | Exeter | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
1,816Lowest |
16,151Highest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Cornish and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Cornish 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% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Exeter 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 NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| 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 25% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
| 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±$143 4% below NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Cornish School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.