Compare towns
Durham vs Hartford vs St. Albans
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 most expensive homes ($504k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% 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 | Hartford | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
10,736 |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
| Hartford and St. Albans 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% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Durham and Hartford 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. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Hartford 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Hartford School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Hartford High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
9.6Lowest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | None yet | 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.