Compare towns
Newington vs Lee vs Newmarket vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
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.
| Measure | Newington | Lee | Newmarket | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 939Lowest |
4,576 |
9,463 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Newington and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Newington and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$455,000±$22kLowest 13% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
— | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Newington and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newington School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newmarket School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.