Compare towns
Fairlee vs Durham vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Fairlee | Durham | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
15,080Highest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
55.6±9.6 43% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Durham and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617 80% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,364Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Oyster River Coop School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
8.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.