Compare towns
Windham vs Eliot vs Keene 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%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Eliot | Keene | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038 |
7,146Lowest |
22,939Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Amherst 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Amherst 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% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #81 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Keene School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | Keene High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.3 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.