Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Durham 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
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bellows Falls | Durham | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
15,080Highest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
41.6±4.9Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | — | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.