Compare towns
Exeter vs Windham vs Salem
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).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
16,038Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Salem |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Windham High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.