Compare towns
Exeter vs Portsmouth 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 affordable homes ($457k median).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Portsmouth | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
22,545Highest |
16,038Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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 |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest 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% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Portsmouth School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Portsmouth High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.4Lowest |
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.