Compare towns
Windham vs Exeter vs Londonderry vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Londonderry has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Salem has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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 | Londonderry | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038Lowest |
16,151 |
26,685 |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.7±0.9 about the NH average |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
| Exeter and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
47.6% NH: 40.6% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±1 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Londonderry 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 91% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$132,556±$14k 34% above NH |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$505,200±$20k 26% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,803±$154 21% above NH |
$1,625±$146Lowest 9% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,069 21% above NH |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±7.8 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 15% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Londonderry 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 | #37 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Londonderry School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Exeter High School | Londonderry Senior High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1 |
12.0 |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.