Compare towns
Exeter vs South Berwick vs Windham vs Newfields
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).
South Berwick has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | South Berwick | Windham | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,670 |
16,038 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Newfields 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% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and South Berwick 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% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19k 135% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| 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±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
| 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 31% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Lowest 22% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest 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. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Windham School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Marshwood High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.0Highest |
12.8 |
— |
| 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.