Compare towns
Durham vs Jay vs Sandgate
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).
Jay has the most kids (14.2% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Jay | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
471 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Jay and Sandgate 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% |
15.5%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Jay 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Jay 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 | — | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.