Compare towns
Holderness vs Durham vs Salisbury
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).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Durham | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917 |
10,681Highest |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
51.5±4.5Highest 19% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Salisbury 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% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$111,591±$17k 13% above NH |
| Durham and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,917±$632 29% above NH |
| Holderness and Salisbury 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,859 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Holderness 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury 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 | Holderness School District | — | Merrimack Valley 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.