Compare towns
Exeter vs Saco vs Windham vs Hampstead
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).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k 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 | Saco | Windham | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
20,819Highest |
16,038 |
9,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Hampstead 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% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Saco 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 37% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% 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% |
82.1% 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. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Hampstead 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #13 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Saco Public Schools | Windham School District | Hampstead 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 |
— |
| 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.