Compare towns
Exeter vs Stratham vs Sutton 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 renters (30.9% rent).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Stratham | Sutton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,754 |
2,239Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Sutton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Sutton 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 |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Windham and Stratham 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 |
$2,511±$377 68% above NH |
$1,656±$614Lowest 11% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$7,652Lowest 15% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Exeter 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% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
29 min 10% above NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | — | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | 10.4Lowest |
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.