Windham, New Hampshire
Rockingham County · Merrimack Valley

Windham

Home to Hilltop Searles Castle and Stone Walls

About Windham

Windham is one of southern New Hampshire's fastest-growing residential towns, jumping from about 10,000 residents in 2000 to over 15,000 by 2020, driven almost entirely by its school system and proximity to the I-93 corridor. SAU 95 consistently ranks among the top districts in the state, and the relatively new Windham High School — which graduated its first class in 2012 — has quickly built a strong academic and athletic reputation. The town was carved out of Derry and Londonderry in 1742, settled by Scots-Irish immigrants who had arrived in the Nutfield area in 1719. Searles Castle, a stone manor completed in 1915 at a cost of over $1.25 million by millionaire Edward Searles, is the town's most striking landmark and is available for private event rentals. For recreation, families gravitate toward Griffin Park on Range Road, which serves as the community hub with baseball and softball fields plus playground equipment for kids. Cobbetts Pond, named for a 17th-century Massachusetts minister who was granted 500 acres here, serves as the town beach with lifeguards on duty through the summer. Windham has almost no commercial center to speak of — residents drive to Salem or Derry for groceries and errands — which is exactly how most of them prefer it. The town maintains its residential character while offering easy access to jobs and amenities in the greater Boston area via I-93.

Why Windham?

  • Highly rated Windham School District (SAU 95) — Niche grade A-minus, top 10 in NH
  • Easy commute: 20 min to Nashua, 30 min to Manchester, 45–60 min to Boston via I-93
  • No state income tax or sales tax — significant savings vs. Massachusetts
  • Safe, family-oriented community with strong property values

Quick Facts

Population
15,292
County
Rockingham
Region
Merrimack Valley
School District
SAU 95

Weather in Windham

53°F

Partly Cloudy

Today

56 / 31

Sun

61 / 39

Mon

61 / 39

Map

Living in Windham

What you need to know about making Windham your home.

Major Employers

Medicus Healthcare SolutionsWindham School DistrictThe Autumn GroupConvenientMD Urgent CareDelahunty Nurseries & Garden CenterShaw's Supermarket

Schools & Education

Windham School District (SAU 95) serves about 3,000 students across 4 schools and holds a Niche grade of A-minus, with Windham High School ranked among the top 10 public high schools in NH.

Cost of Living

Cost of living is roughly 19-35% above the national average, driven primarily by housing. No state income or sales tax partially offsets this.

Real Estate

$715,000 median home price

$14.15 per $1,000 property tax rate

No state income or sales tax in NH

View listings in Windham

Commute Times

45-60 min
Boston
20-25 min
Nashua
30-40 min
Manchester

School District

School district

Windham School District(SAU 95)

Grades served: PreK-12

Website
Golden Brook School
PK-4Elementary
Windham Center School
5-6School
Windham Middle School
7-8Middle School
Windham High SchoolJaguars
9-12High School

Parks & Public Spaces

Griffin ParkTown Park
Windham Rail TrailTrail

Hidden Gems in Windham

Beyond the well-known attractions, Windham has spots that locals love and visitors rarely find.

Johnson's Highland View Farm

year-round

A family-run farm hidden behind Griffin Park, accessible via a short woodland path from the park's northeast corner. This working farm serves Richardson's ice cream from their rustic stand while goats, chickens, and cows graze in nearby pens. The sweet smell of hay mingles with the aroma of fresh vegetables as families sit at weathered picnic tables, watching farm life unfold around them.

Windham Rail Trail Historic Depot

year-round

The restored 1849 Manchester & Lawrence Railroad depot sits at the trailhead like a forgotten piece of New England history. The original freight house and a vintage Boston & Maine caboose create an atmospheric scene where you can almost hear the whistle of the old Bar Harbor Express. Stone foundations from the old water tower hide in the parking lot, telling stories of when Teddy Roosevelt once stopped here.

Rainforest Ledge on Windham Rail Trail

year-round

A quarter-mile-long granite cut through a 30-foot hill creates a natural air conditioning system that locals call Rainforest Ledge. Water seeps from the rock walls while cool breezes funnel through, forming ice sculptures in winter and providing blessed relief on summer days. The sound of your footsteps echoes off the stone walls as you pass through this hidden microclimate.

Snow Pond Farm

year-round

A family alpaca farm where award-winning Suri alpacas graze behind a modest farmhouse on Winter Street. The Lundquist family welcomes visitors to meet their gentle animals while browsing handmade alpaca products in their cozy farm store. The soft hum of contented alpacas and occasional rooster crow creates a pastoral soundtrack that feels worlds away from suburban life.

Searles School and Chapel

year-round

A Gothic Revival gem from 1909 that rises unexpectedly from Windham's landscape like a miniature English manor. Built by millionaire Edward Searles with stained glass windows, cypress paneling, and a tower with twelve carillons, it's surrounded by impressive stone walls that have defined the town's character for over a century. The castle-like structure hosts community events where locals gather in rooms that echo with more than a hundred years of town history.

Stay in the loop on Windham

Get weekly updates about events in Windham and nearby — delivered free to your inbox.

Free weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime.