Compare towns
Gray vs Exeter vs Windham vs Hermon
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 expensive homes ($457k median).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Gray | Exeter | Windham | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
16,151 |
19,188Highest |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Windham 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 14 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Exeter High School | Windham High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.