Compare towns
Durham vs Exeter vs Kittery
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Exeter | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080 |
16,151Highest |
10,473Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Kittery 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Durham and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Durham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kittery 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Exeter 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 | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Exeter High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
12.1 |
9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 59 photos → | 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.