Compare towns
Exeter vs Fairlee vs Windham vs Newfields
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 most affordable homes ($274k median).
Windham has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Windham | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,066Lowest |
16,038 |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Exeter 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Exeter 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. |
$189,583±$19k 135% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
| Windham and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,617Lowest 80% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Windham School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 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.