Compare towns
Bath vs Exeter vs Gray 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
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Bath | Exeter | Gray | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
16,151Highest |
8,429 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Exeter High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.