Compare towns
Windham vs Dummerston vs Castleton vs Amherst
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Dummerston has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Dummerston | Castleton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
2,090Lowest |
4,453 |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,137±$195Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Dummerston 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.