Compare towns
Durham vs Weare vs Newmarket vs Henniker
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).
Weare has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
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 | Weare | Newmarket | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
9,170 |
9,463 |
6,197Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
31.1±6.1 28% below NH |
| Weare and Newmarket 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% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Henniker and Newmarket 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% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
| Durham and Weare 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 |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
| Durham and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Newmarket and Weare 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 |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Weare 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | #39 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Newmarket School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | John Stark Regional High School | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.4 |
9.9Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | None yet | 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.