Compare towns
Durham vs Meredith vs Hampton
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).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Hampton has the most kids (14.6% 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.
| Measure | Durham | Meredith | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
6,758Lowest |
10,101 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
51.2±1.7 18% above NH |
| Meredith and Hampton 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% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hampton and Meredith 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% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.9%±3.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton 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% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
44.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$97,163±$4k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
$545,300±$63kHighest 35% above NH |
| 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±$143 4% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,654±$93Highest 11% above NH |
| Hampton 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 50% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,872 3% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±13.1 NH: 48.2% |
| 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 NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #31 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.