Compare towns
Durham vs Sandwich vs Sutton
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).
Sandwich has the most people working from home (36.1%).
Sutton has the most kids (20.5% 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 | Sandwich | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
1,757Lowest |
2,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
63.6±2.8Highest 47% above NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
7%±3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
46.6%±8.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63.3% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
$140,694±$22kHighest 42% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
| Sandwich and Sutton 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 |
$437,700±$79k 9% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
| Durham and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,679±$1kHighest 13% above NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
| Sandwich and Sutton 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 |
$4,494Lowest 33% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
56.4%±41.6 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Sandwich 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% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
36.1%±16.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandwich 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 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.