Compare towns
Freedom vs Durham vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Freedom | Durham | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,494Lowest |
15,080Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
54±8.3 25% above NH |
| Freedom and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Cornish and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,000±$43k 3% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Durham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.5%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Freedom 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 | Freedom School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.