Compare towns

Roxbury vs Rye 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

Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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.

MeasureRoxburyRyeDurham
People
Population
299Lowest
5,611
10,681Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+4.6%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+7.8%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
43.2±17.7
about the NH average
55.1±3Highest
27% above NH
20.1±0.2Lowest
54% below NH
Rye and Roxbury 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%
18.2%±4Highest
NH: 18.2%
6.5%±2Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Rye 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%
31.7%±5.3Highest
NH: 20.1%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
NH: 20.1%
Rye 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%
61.5%
NH: 40.6%
75.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
13.4%±15.8
NH: 6%
2.2%±1.3Lowest
NH: 6%
70.2%±1.6Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,226±$14kLowest
30% below NH
$140,655±$39kHighest
42% above NH
$112,070±$25k
13% above NH
Rye and Durham 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
$1,028,100±$89kHighest
155% above NH
$498,000±$45k
24% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,781±$156Highest
19% above NH
$1,302±$211Lowest
13% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,787Lowest
13% below NH
$7,519
13% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.3%±16.1
NH: 48.2%
55.4%±19.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
Durham and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.7%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
6.9%
NH: 7.2%
12.4%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
85.5%
NH: 72.8%
53.6%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1972
7 yrs older than NH
1973Highest
6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 min
22% below NH
29 minHighest
8% above NH
17 minLowest
36% below NH
Work from home
0.7%±1.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
30.9%±7.6Highest
NH: 16.8%
15.6%±3.3
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #2 of 120 in NH #9 of 120 in NH
School district — Rye School District —
High school in town — None in town —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet 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.