Compare towns
Durham vs Windham vs Amherst vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
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 | Windham | Amherst | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,080 |
16,038Highest |
11,861 |
10,681Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Amherst and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Windham 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% |
62.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773Lowest 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Durham 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% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Windham School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Windham High School | Souhegan Coop High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.