Compare towns
Durham vs Hollis vs Milford vs Newmarket
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).
Hollis has the most people working from home (29%).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($358k median).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% 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 | Hollis | Milford | Newmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
8,603Lowest |
8,956 |
9,463 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
49.4±5Highest 14% above NH |
36.7±3.7 15% below NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±4 NH: 18.2% |
23.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Hollis 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% |
23.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hollis and Milford 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% |
57.3% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$168,883±$22kHighest 71% above NH |
$78,684±$11kLowest 21% below NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$675,900±$48kHighest 68% above NH |
$357,800±$16kLowest 11% below NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,598±$302 7% above NH |
$1,557±$120 4% above NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
| Newmarket and Hollis 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 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,978Lowest 5% above NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Milford 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% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
91.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.4% NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
29%±6.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.1%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Hollis 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 | #8 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH | #39 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District | — | Newmarket School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Hollis-Brookline High School | — | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.8 |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.