Compare towns
Durham vs Pelham vs Williston
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 youngest population (median age 20.8).
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Pelham | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
14,449 |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Pelham 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%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Williston 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% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Pelham 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% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Pelham 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. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Pelham 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 about the U.S. average |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Durham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Williston 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Pelham School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| 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.