Compare towns
Durham vs Danvers vs Lebanon
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 youngest population (median age 20.8).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Danvers | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080 |
28,098Highest |
14,999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers and Lebanon 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% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers and Lebanon 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% |
48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Danvers 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±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Danvers 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.8Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.