Signals
Durham
Newton
Opportunity
86 · Top 2%
vs72 · Top 18%
Climate
59 · Bottom 13%
vs62 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 45%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Durham | Newton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,681 | 89,044 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $112,070 | $190,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,585 | $97,547 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,531/sq mi | 4,995/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $498,000 | $1,264,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,302 | $2,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.6% | 70.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.4% | 81.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 81°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.8" | 53.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 20.1 | 42.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.25 | 10.67 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Durham
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Newton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Durham, NH · Newton, MA · How this is calculated: methodology