Compare towns

Durham vs Mapleton vs Pittston

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).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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.

MeasureDurhamMapletonPittston
People
Population
15,080Highest
1,884Lowest
3,093
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
41.8±6Highest
7% above U.S.
41.4±5.9
6% above U.S.
Mapleton and Pittston 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%
22.2%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.2%±7.4
U.S.: 22%
Mapleton and Pittston 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%
18.3%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Pittston and Mapleton 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%
34.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
26.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±4.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$91,731±$25k
14% above U.S.
$86,614±$18kLowest
7% above U.S.
Durham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$191,800±$23kLowest
42% below U.S.
$238,700±$66k
28% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
$610±$277Lowest
57% below U.S.
$1,080±$593
24% below U.S.
Durham and Pittston 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.
$1,789Lowest
43% below U.S.
$1,909
39% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
16.7%±10.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.6%±34.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Pittston 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%
8.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
81%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1977Lowest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1983Highest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
28 minHighest
5% above U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
19.4%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.8%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
3.8%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #9 of 120 in NH — #123 of 133 in ME
School district Oyster River Coop School District RSU 79/MSAD 01 RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town Oyster River High School None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.3
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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.