Compare towns
Exeter vs Nelson 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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Nelson | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
648Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Exeter and Nelson 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.1% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Windham 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 |
$99,792±$23kLowest about the NH average |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$340,900±$49kLowest 15% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson 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 | Nelson School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | 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 |
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.