What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).

Orange has the most kids (20.6% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Durham	Orange
People
Population	15,080Highest	320Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8% NH: +4.6%	—
Median age	20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH	41.3±9.1Highest 5% below NH
Kids under 18	10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	20.6%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1%	20%±5Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.4%Highest NH: 40.6%	37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6%	4.7%±3.7Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH	$118,750±$39kLowest 20% above NH
	Durham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH	$302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,429±$143 4% below NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$5,132Lowest 23% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Durham and Orange 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%	9.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8%	97.5%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 27% below NH	28 minHighest 5% above NH
Work from home	19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8%
	Orange 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	—
School district	Oyster River Coop School District	—
High school in town	Oyster River High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	51 photos →	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.