Compare towns
Durham vs Hampton vs Meredith vs Windham
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 youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hampton has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Hampton | Meredith | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
16,426Highest |
6,758Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
55.8±2.1Highest 29% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton 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 NH: 40.6% |
42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$95,233±$9k 4% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$550,200±$39k 37% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,628±$94 9% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,813 about the NH average |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Hampton 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% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.8% NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Windham 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Winnacunnet High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
10.1Lowest |
11.1 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.