What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Alstead
People
Population	16,038Highest	1,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	-3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH	56±3.3Highest 29% above NH
Kids under 18	27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2%	12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1%	27.8%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	28.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6%	3.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6%
	Windham and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH	$64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH	$271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350 116% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$5,322Lowest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2%	72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Alstead and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	8.9%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	76%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 15% above NH	32 minHighest 19% above NH
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8%	12.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Windham and Alstead 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	#13 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Windham School District	Fall Mountain Regional School District
High school in town	Windham High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.