Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Middlesex 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
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Middlesex has the most affordable homes ($376k median).
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 | Bow | Dover | Middlesex | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
1,943Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover 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. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$6,483Lowest 108% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Dover 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.