Compare towns
Orford vs Exeter vs Windham vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
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 | Orford | Exeter | Windham | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,295Lowest |
16,151Highest |
16,038 |
2,537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3 13% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
50.6±8.5Highest 17% above NH |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24k 7% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$85,029±$18kLowest 14% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$288,300±$22k 28% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686 15% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,174±$81Lowest 21% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836 12% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,418Lowest 19% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3 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 | 5.8% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #34 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | Exeter High School | Windham High School | Profile Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
12.1 |
12.8Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.