Compare towns
Durham vs Sutton vs White River Junction
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 expensive homes ($504k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
2,239Lowest |
3,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
33.7±3.2 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and White River Junction 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% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and White River Junction 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,222±$216Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Durham 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. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
$5,651Lowest 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and White River Junction 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and White River Junction 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | 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 |
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.