Compare towns
Durham vs Epping vs Weare 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).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Weare has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Epping | Weare | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
7,430Lowest |
9,170 |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Weare and Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Durham and Weare 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 |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$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 |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Epping and Weare 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 50% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping 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 NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Weare 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Epping School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Epping High School | John Stark Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
9.3Lowest |
11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | None yet | None yet | 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.