Compare towns

Durham vs Hudson vs Stratham

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).
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($439k median).
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
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.

MeasureDurhamHudsonStratham
People
Population
15,080
25,557Highest
7,754Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+3.8%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+5.7%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
20.8±0.3Lowest
52% below NH
45.7±1.9Highest
6% above NH
41.6±4.9
4% below NH
Hudson and Stratham 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%
16.8%±2.1
NH: 18.2%
23.5%±5.3Highest
NH: 18.2%
Stratham and Hudson 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%
20.7%±2.4Highest
NH: 20.1%
20.6%±3.6
NH: 20.1%
Hudson and Stratham 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%
34.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
69.9%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
55.1%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
7%±1.7
NH: 6%
3.9%±1.7Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$124,056±$21kLowest
25% above NH
$124,213±$6k
25% above NH
$151,998±$20kHighest
53% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$504,300±$41k
25% above NH
$438,900±$11kLowest
9% above NH
$655,400±$36kHighest
63% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,429±$143Lowest
4% below NH
$1,735±$123
16% above NH
$2,511±$377Highest
68% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$6,636Lowest
about the NH average
$9,781
47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
66.4%±16Highest
NH: 48.2%
34.3%±7.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
64%±38.2
NH: 48.2%
Durham and Stratham 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%
4.6%
NH: 7.2%
2.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.4%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
82.6%
NH: 72.8%
92.6%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Lowest
2 yrs newer than NH
1983
4 yrs newer than NH
1986Highest
7 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
27% below NH
31 minHighest
18% above NH
27 min
about the NH average
Work from home
19.4%±3.5Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.6%±3.6
NH: 16.8%
25.3%±6.6Highest
NH: 16.8%
Stratham and Hudson 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 #63 of 120 in NH #43 of 120 in NH
School district Oyster River Coop School District Hudson School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District
High school in town Oyster River High School Alvirne High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.3Highest
11.6Lowest
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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.