Compare towns

Exeter vs Norwich vs Windham vs Stratham

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 affordable homes ($457k median).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).

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.

MeasureExeterNorwichWindhamStratham
People
Population
16,151Highest
3,640Lowest
16,038
7,754
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+12.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.8±2.3Highest
18% above U.S.
40.8±3.2Lowest
5% above U.S.
41.1±2.9
6% above U.S.
41.6±4.9
7% above U.S.
Exeter and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
24%±5.1
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.5%±5.3
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
24.4%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.6%±3.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Exeter and Stratham 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
U.S.: 35.7%
81%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
69.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.1%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
Exeter and Norwich 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
37% above U.S.
$140,313±$12k
74% above U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
$151,998±$20k
88% above U.S.
Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$456,600±$21kLowest
37% above U.S.
$637,500±$76k
92% above U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
$655,400±$36k
97% above U.S.
Windham and Stratham 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.
$1,460±$322Lowest
3% above U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
$2,511±$377
78% above U.S.
Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,814Lowest
183% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$9,781
214% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
59%±11.3
U.S.: 51.1%
30.7%±19.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
64%±38.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Stratham 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
U.S.: 12.5%
2.8%
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%
71.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
92.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Lowest
1 yr older than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
1986
6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
19.9%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
25.3%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Stratham 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 #1 of 70 in VT #13 of 120 in NH #43 of 120 in NH
School district Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Norwich School District Windham School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham 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
—
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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.