Compare towns
Hudson vs Mendon vs Strafford vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Hudson | Mendon | Strafford | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,557Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.7±1.9 17% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hudson and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,213±$6k 54% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $438,900±$11k 32% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,735±$123 23% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,636 113% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.3%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon 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 | #63 of 120 in NH | — | — | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hudson School District | — | Strafford School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Alvirne High School | — | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | — | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.