Compare towns
Windham vs Hampton Beach vs Amherst
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).
Hampton Beach has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
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 | Hampton Beach | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
2,605Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Windham and Amherst 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 |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$508,900±$76kLowest 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 15% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Hampton Beach 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 | — | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | — | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | — | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.