What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gilford has the most expensive homes ($457k median).

Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gilford	Windham
People
Population	7,830Lowest	19,188Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±3.9Highest 24% above U.S.	41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Gilford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,635±$11kHighest 44% above U.S.	$107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S.
	Gilford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,500±$56kHighest 37% above U.S.	$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.
	Gilford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$747Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S.
	Windham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,868Highest 56% above U.S.	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.2%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	16.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham and Gilford 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	#45 of 120 in NH	#95 of 133 in ME
School district	Gilford School District	RSU 14
High school in town	Gilford High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.