Compare towns
Exeter vs Windham vs Norwich vs Hampstead
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 affordable homes ($457k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Norwich | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
16,038 |
3,640Lowest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Norwich 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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 37% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Windham and Norwich 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. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,634Lowest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Norwich 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 70 in VT | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Norwich School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.