Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Hanover 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 the most kids (25% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Bow | Dover | Hanover | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
11,685 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
41.6±4.9Highest 4% below NH |
| Stratham and Bow 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% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham and Hanover 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% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
69.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover 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 |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,253±$217 51% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Stratham and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$8,249Lowest 24% above 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% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7 |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.