Compare towns
Newmarket vs Hollis vs Amherst 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
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Hollis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Newmarket | Hollis | Amherst | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
8,603Lowest |
11,861 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
49.4±5Highest 14% above NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Hollis and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
21%±4 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hollis and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$168,883±$22kHighest 71% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Hollis and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22kLowest 13% above NH |
$675,900±$48kHighest 68% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,598±$302 7% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Newmarket and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734Lowest 31% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.7% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29%±6.4 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Hollis 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #8 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Hollis-Brookline High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.8 |
10.4 |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.