Compare towns
Hollis vs Durham vs Nashua
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hollis has the most people working from home (29%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Nashua has the most affordable homes ($404k median).
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 | Hollis | Durham | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,603Lowest |
10,681 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±5Highest 14% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
40±1.3 8% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Hollis and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $168,883±$22kHighest 71% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$96,326±$5kLowest about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $675,900±$48kHighest 68% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$403,900±$11kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$302 7% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH |
| Nashua and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,799Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 29%±6.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #8 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District | — | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | Hollis-Brookline High School | — | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.