Compare towns
Bow vs Canaan vs Lyme vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
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 | Canaan | Lyme | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,811 |
1,710Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Lyme and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
69.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Canaan 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 75% above NH |
$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Stratham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Stratham 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | — | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.