Compare towns

White River Junction vs Durham vs Hartford vs Johnson

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Hartford has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Johnson has the most affordable homes ($169k 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.

MeasureWhite River JunctionDurhamHartfordJohnson
People
Population
3,364Lowest
15,080Highest
10,736
3,450
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
33.7±3.2
13% below U.S.
20.8±0.3Lowest
47% below U.S.
43.2±3.9Highest
11% above U.S.
30.9±6.5
21% below U.S.
Kids under 18
17.1%±5
U.S.: 22%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18%±3
U.S.: 22%
22.7%±5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Johnson and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
12.5%±3.6
U.S.: 17.2%
11.5%±1.6
U.S.: 17.2%
22.5%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
10.8%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
38.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
47.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
32.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
55.1%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
14.4%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$77,168±$4k
4% below U.S.
$124,056±$21kHighest
54% above U.S.
$78,125±$7k
3% below U.S.
$55,346±$14kLowest
31% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$278,800±$78k
16% below U.S.
$504,300±$41kHighest
52% above U.S.
$304,500±$26k
8% below U.S.
$169,400±$62kLowest
49% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,222±$216
14% below U.S.
$1,429±$143Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,218±$118
14% below U.S.
$948±$45Lowest
33% below U.S.
Durham and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,651
81% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$5,773
85% above U.S.
$3,310Lowest
6% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.9%±17.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
66.4%±16Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.6%±12.7
U.S.: 51.1%
51.6%±20.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
15.1%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1963Lowest
17 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
15 minLowest
42% below U.S.
19 min
27% below U.S.
18 min
30% below U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
Work from home
15.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
19.4%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.9%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
8.8%±4.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Durham and White River Junction 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 #34 of 70 in VT #57 of 70 in VT
School district — Oyster River Coop School District Hartford School District Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A
High school in town — Oyster River High School Hartford High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.3Highest
9.6Lowest
—
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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.