Compare towns
Durham vs Newington vs Townsend
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 people working from home (19.4%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Townsend has the most kids (21% 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 | Newington | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
939Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
48.7±10.1Highest 25% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Newington and Townsend 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% |
15.7%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Newington 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% |
28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington and Townsend 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% |
62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
| Newington 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. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Newington and Townsend 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. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Newington 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Newington School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.