Compare towns
Exeter vs Madbury vs Plainfield 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).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Madbury | Plainfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
2,203Lowest |
2,522 |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% 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 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Windham 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% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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 |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 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% NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield 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 → | 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.