Compare towns

Lee vs St. Albans 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 homeowners (95.8%).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
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.

MeasureLeeSt. AlbansDurham
People
Population
4,576Lowest
6,954
15,080Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.9±1.9Highest
10% above U.S.
38.7±2
about the U.S. average
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
Kids under 18
21.9%±5.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Lee and St. Albans 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%
13.9%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Lee and St. Albans 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%
31.7%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%
2.7%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$131,579±$54kHighest
63% above U.S.
$57,980±$7kLowest
28% below 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.
$263,400±$18kLowest
21% below U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,150±$78Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,661
210% 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%
51.8%±11.8
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and St. Albans 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%
19.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
49%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
4% above U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
Work from home
27.6%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.1%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Lee 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 #3 of 120 in NH #46 of 70 in VT #9 of 120 in NH
School district Oyster River Coop School District Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 Oyster River Coop School District
High school in town None in town Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) Oyster River High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.4Lowest
12.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 10 photos → None yet 51 photos →

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.