Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Plainfield 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 highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
2,522Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% 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%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 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% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham and Plainfield 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% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% 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 |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| 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% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% 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 |
1977 2 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 |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham and Bow 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Plainfield School District | 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 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.