Compare towns
Windham vs Durham vs Williston vs Bow
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 expensive homes ($723k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Williston has the oldest population (median age 45.4).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Windham | Durham | Williston | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
15,080 |
10,144 |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Williston and Bow 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Bow 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Williston 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Oyster River High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.