Compare towns
Derry vs Exeter vs Windham vs Sandown
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 affordable homes ($432k median).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
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 | Exeter | Windham | Sandown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
16,151 |
16,038 |
6,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
40.8±3.7 6% 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 | 20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,944±$7kLowest 10% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17kLowest 7% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,893±$721 27% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103Lowest 22% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,801 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown and Exeter 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% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #71 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Exeter High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.