Compare towns
Durham vs Sutton vs Amherst
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).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Sutton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
2,239Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Sutton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Amherst 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 NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Amherst 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±$41k 25% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst and Durham 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 |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Sutton and Amherst 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 |
$7,652Lowest 15% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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.