Compare towns
Suncook vs Durham vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Durham has the highest household income ($124k).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
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 | Suncook | Durham | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,432 |
15,080Highest |
3,273Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±8.1 12% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
42.7±5.7Highest about the NH average |
| Bristol and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bristol and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,836±$25k 19% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
| Durham and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,100±$22k 10% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
| Durham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,975 5% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
69.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Suncook 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.