What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).

Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Rochester
People
Population	16,038Lowest	33,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH	43±1.8Highest about the NH average
	Rochester 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%	18.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1%	19.6%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1%
	Rochester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6%	4.3%±1Highest NH: 6%
	Rochester and Windham 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	$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH	$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH	$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$5,334Lowest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2%	46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Windham and Rochester 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%	8.3%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	66%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 15% above NH	26 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8%	11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#13 of 120 in NH	#98 of 120 in NH
School district	Windham School District	Rochester School District
High school in town	Windham High School	Spaulding High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	13.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.