Compare towns
Windham vs Gorham vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Windham | Gorham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
18,300 |
16,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 14 | Gorham Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Gorham High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.