Compare towns
Bow vs Amesbury vs Stratham vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Bow | Amesbury | Stratham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
17,403Highest |
7,754 |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Brookline 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Amesbury | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Amesbury High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.