Compare towns
Gorham vs Windham vs Exeter vs Buxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k 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 | Gorham | Windham | Exeter | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,300 |
19,188Highest |
16,151 |
8,512Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$100,144±$21kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$356,800±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,613±$266 14% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 14 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Windham High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.