Compare towns
Exeter vs Hooksett vs Kingston vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Hooksett | Kingston | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
15,057 |
6,275Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett 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 11% above NH |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,393±$156Lowest 7% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$7,906 19% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.1% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District | Sanborn Regional School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.