What stands out worked out from the figures below

Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).

Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).

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	Alton	Stratham
People
Population	5,994Lowest	7,754Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH	41.6±4.9Lowest 4% below NH
Kids under 18	13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%	23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1%	20.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Alton and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	69.9%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6%	3.9%±1.7Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,715±$19kLowest 15% above NH	$151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH
	Stratham and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$430,400±$37kLowest 7% above NH	$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,511±$377 68% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,183Lowest 37% below NH	$9,781Highest 47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2%	64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Stratham and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.1%Highest NH: 7.2%	2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	92.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above NH	27 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#72 of 120 in NH	#43 of 120 in NH
School district	Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District
High school in town	Prospect Mountain High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1	—
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.