What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).

Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).

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	Fairfax
People
Population	15,080Highest	5,226Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S.	38.8±3.3Highest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	12.5%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Fairfax and Durham 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%	49.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,056±$21kLowest 54% above U.S.	$128,963±$29kHighest 60% above U.S.
	Fairfax 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.	$378,200±$22kLowest 14% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average	$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,497Lowest 76% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.3%±33.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Durham and Fairfax 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%	5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1994Highest 14 yrs newer 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%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Fairfax 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	#36 of 70 in VT
School district	Oyster River Coop School District	Fairfax School District
High school in town	Oyster River High School	Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax)
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	51 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.