Compare towns
Exeter vs Fairlee vs Orford vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Exeter | Fairlee | Orford | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,066Lowest |
1,295 |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,263±$686 11% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,617Lowest 80% above U.S. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Rivendell Academy | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | 9.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.