Compare towns
Durham vs Lyme vs Amesbury vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% 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 | Lyme | Amesbury | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
1,710Lowest |
17,403Highest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 47% below U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Lyme and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Durham 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. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45kLowest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Amesbury and Durham 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Durham 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #151 of 282 in MA | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Lyme School District | Amesbury | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | Amesbury High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | None yet | 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.