Compare towns
Bow vs Epping vs Windham 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).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k 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 | Epping | Windham | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
7,430Lowest |
19,188Highest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Epping and Windham 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% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Epping 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. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% 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. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Stratham 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% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Epping School District | RSU 14 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Epping High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.