Compare towns
Barre vs Bow vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k 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.
| Measure | Barre | Bow | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
8,335 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Barre and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Bow 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.