Compare towns
Exeter vs Putney vs Windham vs Bedford
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 renters (30.9% rent).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Putney | Windham | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
2,622Lowest |
16,038 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bedford 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% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,313Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Windham High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.