Compare towns
Henniker vs Lyme vs Plaistow vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Lyme | Plaistow | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,197 |
1,710Lowest |
7,861 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Lyme and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$404,500±$32k about the NH average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Windham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,877 33% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,194Lowest 8% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Plaistow and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.5% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | — | #66 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Henniker School District | Lyme School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.