Compare towns
Bow vs Dracut vs Exeter 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).
Dracut has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Dracut | Exeter | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
32,574Highest |
16,151 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dracut 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% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest 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%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% 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. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Exeter 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.