What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the most expensive homes ($614k median).

Laporte has the most affordable homes ($275k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Durham	Laporte
People
Population	1,047Highest	440Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.4% PA: +2.4%	—
Median age	58±3.4Highest 42% above PA	56.7±8.1Lowest 39% above PA
	Durham and Laporte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.9%±2.7Highest PA: 20.4%	10.2%±4.7Lowest PA: 20.4%
	Durham and Laporte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30%±1.3Lowest PA: 19.5%	39.3%±3.8Highest PA: 19.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.2%Highest PA: 35.2%	43.3%Lowest PA: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.7%±0.9Lowest PA: 6.1%	2.5%±3.2Highest PA: 6.1%
	Laporte and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,458±$27kHighest 49% above PA	$79,432±$8kLowest about the PA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$614,100±$53kHighest 141% above PA	$275,000±$39kLowest 8% above PA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$963±$372 20% below PA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,086Highest 84% above PA	$2,621Lowest 21% below PA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.1%±56.3Highest PA: 48.2%	27.3%±100Lowest PA: 48.2%
	Durham and Laporte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Highest PA: 11.7%	1.6%Lowest PA: 11.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.3%Highest PA: 69.3%	89.9%Lowest PA: 69.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 8 yrs older than PA	1982Highest 17 yrs newer than PA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 40% above PA	33 minLowest 24% above PA
Work from home	26.6%±8.3Highest PA: 15.6%	12.6%±8.5Lowest PA: 15.6%
	Durham and Laporte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

PA 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.