Compare towns
Madbury vs Waitsfield 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
Madbury has the highest household income ($148k).
Waitsfield has the most people working from home (19%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
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 | Madbury | Waitsfield | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,203 |
1,918Lowest |
10,681Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 3% below U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Durham and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
| Madbury and Durham 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 221% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waitsfield 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 | Oyster River Coop School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.