Compare towns
Windham vs Eliot vs Stratham vs Bedford
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 most affordable homes ($499k median).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Stratham | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038 |
7,146Lowest |
7,754 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Bedford 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%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Stratham 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 135% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bedford 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. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377 78% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Bedford 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #43 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | — | 13.5Highest |
| 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.