Compare towns
Derry vs Epping vs Windham vs Salem
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 (29.8% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Salem has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Derry | Epping | Windham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
7,430Lowest |
16,038 |
30,964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
| Epping and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4% NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
38.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Derry and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17kLowest 7% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,625±$146 9% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103 22% above NH |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,992 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
29 minLowest 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping and Windham 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Epping School District | Windham School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Epping High School | Windham High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
12.8 |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.