Compare towns
Windham vs Keene vs Exeter
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 highest household income ($190k).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Keene | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038Lowest |
22,939Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Windham 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest 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% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 15% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Exeter 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Keene School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Keene High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.