Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Nottingham 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 most renters (30.9% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Nottingham has the youngest population (median age 38.8).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
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 | Lee | Nottingham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
4,576Lowest |
5,357 |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
38.8±6.7Lowest 10% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
23.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
18.4%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
40.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$122,201±$20k 23% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$457,500±$26k 14% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
— | $2,068±$1k 39% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Windham and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$7,319Lowest 10% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Exeter 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% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1992 13 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Nottingham 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #15 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Nottingham School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | — | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 10 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.