Compare towns
Exeter vs Pepperell vs Townsend vs Windham
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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 | Pepperell | Townsend | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,663 |
9,100Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Pepperell 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% |
20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Townsend 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% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Pepperell 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. |
$124,073±$12k 54% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$482,100±$14k 45% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,295±$238Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$6,698 115% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Middlesex | North Middlesex | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.