Compare towns
Holderness vs Auburn 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
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
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 | Holderness | Auburn | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
6,119 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Auburn and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Auburn and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Holderness and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | — | #44 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Auburn School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.