Compare towns
Durham vs Holderness vs Meredith vs Henniker
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).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
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 | Holderness | Meredith | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
1,917Lowest |
6,758 |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
31.1±6.1 28% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Henniker and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Holderness 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% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
| Durham and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
| Durham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Meredith 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% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
20 min 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Holderness School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.