Compare towns
Keene vs Exeter vs Windham vs Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Milford has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
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 | Keene | Exeter | Windham | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
16,151 |
16,038Lowest |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Exeter 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Exeter High School | Windham High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.1 |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.