Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Stratham vs Townsend
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).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Dunbarton | Stratham | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,097Lowest |
7,754 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton 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% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 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% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Dunbarton 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% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Townsend 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. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% 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. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Dunbarton 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% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | — | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.