Compare towns

Derry vs Exeter vs Windham vs Derry

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has the most renters (40.9% rent).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Derry has the youngest population (median age 40.3).

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.

MeasureDerryExeterWindhamDerry
People
Population
21,339
16,151
16,038Lowest
34,116Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.9%
NH: +4.6%
+12.2%
NH: +4.6%
+16.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+3.6%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41±3
5% below NH
45.8±2.3Highest
6% above NH
41.1±2.9
5% below NH
40.3±1.6Lowest
7% below NH
Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.9%±2.8
NH: 18.2%
17%±2.7Lowest
NH: 18.2%
27.4%±3.3Highest
NH: 18.2%
20.7%±2.1
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
14.8%±2Lowest
NH: 20.1%
24.4%±2.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
15.5%±2.6
NH: 20.1%
15.2%±1.6
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36.7%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
59.2%
NH: 40.6%
62.7%Highest
NH: 40.6%
37.4%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.2%±2.2Highest
NH: 6%
6.1%±1.8
NH: 6%
3.8%±1.8Lowest
NH: 6%
6.1%±1.5
NH: 6%
Derry and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,673±$11kLowest
7% below NH
$110,346±$13k
11% above NH
$189,583±$19kHighest
91% above NH
$108,944±$7k
10% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$391,200±$23kLowest
about the NH average
$456,600±$21k
13% above NH
$723,300±$50kHighest
80% above NH
$432,000±$17k
7% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,549±$137
4% above NH
$1,856±$223
24% above NH
$3,218±$350Highest
116% above NH
$1,547±$138Lowest
4% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,278Lowest
9% above NH
$8,814
32% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$8,103
22% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.7%±9.5
NH: 48.2%
59%±11.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
52.2%±50.9
NH: 48.2%
51.6%±9Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Exeter and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.4%
NH: 7.2%
4.7%Highest
NH: 7.2%
2%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
4%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
69.1%
NH: 72.8%
93.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
70.2%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
1979Lowest
same as NH
1996Highest
17 yrs newer than NH
1983
4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
10% above NH
25 minLowest
7% below NH
31 min
15% above NH
31 minHighest
16% above NH
Work from home
14.2%±3.5Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.9%±3.7
NH: 16.8%
21.9%±4.4Highest
NH: 16.8%
16%±2.8
NH: 16.8%
Windham and Exeter 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 #60 of 120 in NH #22 of 120 in NH #13 of 120 in NH #60 of 120 in NH
School district — Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Windham School District Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District
High school in town — Exeter High School Windham High School Pinkerton Academy
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.1Lowest
12.8
13.9Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.