Compare towns
Windham vs Exeter vs Eliot 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%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Exeter | Eliot | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038 |
16,151 |
7,146Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bedford 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Exeter 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% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bedford 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% 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. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Windham 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 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.