What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).

Fair Haven has the oldest population (median age 39.2).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Durham	Fair Haven
People
Population	15,080Highest	2,724Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S.	39.2±7.6Highest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S.	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S.	$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average	$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$3,865Lowest 24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Durham and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#9 of 120 in NH	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	Oyster River Coop School District	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	Oyster River High School	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	51 photos →	12 photos →

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.