Compare towns
Holderness vs Cornish 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 kids (14.7% under 18).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Cornish | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917 |
1,816Lowest |
10,681Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Cornish and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Holderness and Cornish 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% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
| Durham and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Cornish 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 9% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Cornish 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 | Holderness School District | Cornish School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.