Compare towns
Durham vs Middlesex vs Putney 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
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Durham 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.
| Measure | Durham | Middlesex | Putney | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
1,943Lowest |
2,622 |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 47% below U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2 4% below U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Putney 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Putney 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% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Putney 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% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%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% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
| Durham 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±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
| Durham and Middlesex 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. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$5,313Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 51 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.