Compare towns

Plymouth vs Hartford vs Wilder 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

Plymouth has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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.

MeasurePlymouthHartfordWilderDurham
People
Population
6,601
10,736
3,087Lowest
15,080Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+81.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
24.6±3.4
37% below U.S.
43.2±3.9
11% above U.S.
45.5±8.9Highest
17% above U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
18%±3Highest
U.S.: 22%
11.8%±4.1
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Hartford and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
12%±2.7
U.S.: 17.2%
22.5%±3.3
U.S.: 17.2%
27.3%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
54%
U.S.: 35.7%
47.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
60.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
33.7%±3.5
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
8.1%±3.9
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$77,027±$26k
5% below U.S.
$78,125±$7k
3% below U.S.
$75,143±$9kLowest
7% below U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$292,400±$22k
12% below U.S.
$304,500±$26k
8% below U.S.
$273,200±$18kLowest
18% below U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,108±$255Lowest
22% below U.S.
$1,218±$118
14% below U.S.
$1,142±$451
19% below U.S.
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
Durham and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,288
102% above U.S.
$5,773
85% above U.S.
$5,505Lowest
76% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.8%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.6%±12.7
U.S.: 51.1%
39.9%±17.2
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
18.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
56.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
62.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
1979Lowest
1 yr older than U.S.
1983Highest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1981
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 min
30% below U.S.
18 min
30% below U.S.
17 minLowest
37% below U.S.
19 minHighest
27% below U.S.
Work from home
11.7%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.9%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
12.6%±6.7
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Durham and Hartford 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 #34 of 70 in VT — #9 of 120 in NH
School district Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District Hartford School District — Oyster River Coop School District
High school in town Plymouth Regional High School Hartford High School — Oyster River High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
9.6Lowest
—
12.3
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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.