Compare towns
Newmarket vs Lee vs Holderness 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).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k 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.
| Measure | Newmarket | Lee | Holderness | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
4,576 |
1,917Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Lee and Newmarket 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% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Newmarket 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% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Lee 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Lee and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
— | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
| Holderness and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734 31% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest 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% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | None in town | None in town | 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.