Compare towns
Standish vs Durham vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% 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 | Standish | Durham | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662 |
15,080Highest |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8 4% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
44.1±6.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±9.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Standish and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$80,280±$33kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Durham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$243,400±$31kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,516±$1kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Steep Falls and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,273 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±36.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | None yet |
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.