Compare towns
Exeter vs Salem vs Windham vs Newfields
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 renters (30.9% rent).
Salem has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
Windham has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Salem | Windham | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
30,964Highest |
16,038 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Salem 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% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Exeter 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 11% above NH |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
$189,583±$19k 91% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Newfields and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$646,400±$34k 61% above NH |
| Windham and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,625±$146Lowest 9% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,875±$323 26% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest 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% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1991 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Salem School District | Windham School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Salem High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.