Compare towns

Durham vs Dover vs Berwick 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 highest household income ($124k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Berwick has the most homeowners (87.4%).
Durham has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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.

MeasureDurhamDoverBerwickDurham
People
Population
15,080
33,364Highest
8,175Lowest
10,681
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
20.8±0.3
47% below U.S.
36.9±1.9
5% below U.S.
40.7±2.9Highest
5% above U.S.
20.1±0.2Lowest
48% below U.S.
Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
10.3%±2.1
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8
U.S.: 22%
22.7%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
6.5%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
11.5%±1.6
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
17.2%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Berwick and Dover 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%
52%
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%
6.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
70.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$94,829±$7k
17% above U.S.
$94,771±$24kLowest
17% above 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.
$436,700±$20k
31% above U.S.
$369,100±$19kLowest
11% above 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±$143
about the U.S. average
$1,607±$100Highest
14% above U.S.
$1,452±$430
about the U.S. average
$1,302±$211Lowest
8% below U.S.
Dover and Berwick 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.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$4,436Lowest
42% 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%
48.6%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±46
U.S.: 51.1%
55.4%±19.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Durham 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%
8.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
53.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
27% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
Work from home
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
20.2%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.6%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Berwick 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 #64 of 120 in NH #101 of 133 in ME #9 of 120 in NH
School district Oyster River Coop School District Dover School District RSU 60/MSAD 60 —
High school in town Oyster River High School Dover Senior High School None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school
12.3Lowest
12.7Highest
— —
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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.