Compare towns
Roxbury vs Durham vs Nelson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Roxbury has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Nelson has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
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 | Roxbury | Durham | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
15,080Highest |
648 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.2±17.7Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
| Roxbury and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±11.5 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±10.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
61.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.4%±15.8 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
| Durham and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,100±$219kLowest 20% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
| Durham and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,787 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet |
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.