Compare towns
Durham vs Kittery vs Hampton
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 youngest population (median age 20.8).
Kittery has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Hampton has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
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 | Kittery | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080 |
10,473Lowest |
16,426Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Kittery and Hampton 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% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton and Kittery 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
| Durham and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Hampton 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. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,813 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Hampton 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Hampton 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #31 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Kittery Public Schools | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Winnacunnet High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
10.1 |
| 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.