Compare towns

Lee vs Durham vs Berwick vs Durham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Durham has the most renters (46.4% rent).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k 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.

MeasureLeeDurhamBerwickDurham
People
Population
4,576Lowest
10,681
8,175
15,080Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.9±1.9Highest
10% above U.S.
20.1±0.2Lowest
48% below U.S.
40.7±2.9
5% above U.S.
20.8±0.3
47% below U.S.
Lee and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.9%±5.6
U.S.: 22%
6.5%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.7%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1
U.S.: 22%
Berwick and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.6%±6.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.2%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Lee and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
50.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
35%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
70.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$131,579±$54kHighest
63% above U.S.
$112,070±$25k
39% above U.S.
$94,771±$24kLowest
17% above U.S.
$124,056±$21k
54% above U.S.
Lee and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$480,600±$61k
44% above U.S.
$498,000±$45k
50% above U.S.
$369,100±$19kLowest
11% above U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,302±$211Lowest
8% below U.S.
$1,452±$430Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,429±$143
about the U.S. average
Berwick and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,661
210% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,436Lowest
42% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.3%±53.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.4%±19.2
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±46
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
53.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1973Lowest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
4% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
30 minHighest
12% above U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
Work from home
27.6%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.6%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20.2%±7.6
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Lee and Berwick 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 #3 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH #101 of 133 in ME #9 of 120 in NH
School district Oyster River Coop School District — RSU 60/MSAD 60 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
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U.S. 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.