Compare towns

Plymouth vs Durham vs Milford

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($294k median).
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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.

MeasurePlymouthDurhamMilford
People
Population
4,969Lowest
15,080
16,337Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
NH: +4.6%
+5.8%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+6.7%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
22.8±0.9
47% below NH
20.8±0.3Lowest
52% below NH
36.8±2.5Highest
15% below NH
Kids under 18
13.3%±4.1
NH: 18.2%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
23.7%±3.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
9.4%±2.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
11.5%±1.6
NH: 20.1%
15.1%±1.9Highest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
63.7%
NH: 40.6%
75.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
37.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
42.5%±2.1
NH: 6%
55.1%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
4.2%±1.3Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$89,500±$32kLowest
10% below NH
$124,056±$21kHighest
25% above NH
$97,768±$14k
about the NH average
Durham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$294,400±$28kLowest
27% below NH
$504,300±$41kHighest
25% above NH
$398,800±$20k
about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,296±$295Lowest
13% below NH
$1,429±$143
4% below NH
$1,661±$126Highest
11% above NH
Milford and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,483Lowest
about the NH average
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$7,522
13% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.8%±10.7Lowest
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±16Highest
NH: 48.2%
49.6%±15.8
NH: 48.2%
Durham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17%Highest
NH: 7.2%
15.1%
NH: 7.2%
3.9%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
64.4%
NH: 72.8%
64.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
8 yrs older than NH
1981
2 yrs newer than NH
1982Highest
3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
16 minLowest
39% below NH
19 min
27% below NH
27 minHighest
about the NH average
Work from home
10.5%±4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.4%±3.5Highest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±3.3
NH: 16.8%
Durham and Milford 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 #47 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH #55 of 120 in NH
School district — Oyster River Coop School District Milford School District
High school in town — Oyster River High School Milford High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.3Highest
10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.