Compare towns
Walpole vs Durham 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
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($320k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Walpole | Durham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,690Lowest |
15,080 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±10.4Highest 7% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Walpole and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,617±$16kLowest 17% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $319,800±$48kLowest 21% below NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,078Lowest 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±21.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Durham 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 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.