Compare towns
Hampton vs Windham vs Exeter vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Hampton | Windham | Exeter | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,426Highest |
16,038 |
16,151 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1Highest 29% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,233±$9k 4% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $550,200±$39k 37% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,628±$94 9% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,813 about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Windham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | Windham High School | Exeter High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.1 |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
NH 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.