Compare towns
Exeter vs Windham vs Hanover vs Hampstead
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 affordable homes ($457k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Windham | Hanover | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
16,038 |
11,685 |
9,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Windham and Hanover 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 |
$723,300±$50k 80% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Hanover and Windham 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 |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$2,253±$217 51% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Windham High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.