Compare towns
Hill vs Durham vs Lempster
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Lempster has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Hill | Durham | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 908Lowest |
15,080Highest |
953 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-3.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.1±6.8 13% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH |
| Lempster and Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.9%±2.8 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±4.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lempster and Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.5%±2.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Hill and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,125±$21kLowest 17% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$86,607±$12k 13% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,700±$41k 23% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$241,900±$29kLowest 40% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,933 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,558Lowest 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 32% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
37 minHighest 40% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
5%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Hill School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Lempster 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.