Compare towns
Exeter vs Windham vs Lancaster
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).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
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 | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
16,038 |
3,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45.5±6.9 5% above NH |
| Exeter and Lancaster 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±6.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lancaster and Exeter 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Windham 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 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17Lowest 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% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Exeter 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 | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.