Compare towns
Durham vs Townsend vs Plymouth
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Townsend has the oldest population (median age 40.9).
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
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 | Townsend | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
9,100 |
6,601Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4 37% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Durham and Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | North Middlesex | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | North Middlesex Regional | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.