Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs Rollinsford 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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Rollinsford has the most affordable homes ($398k 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 | Exeter | Rollinsford | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,151Highest |
2,626Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.8±5.5Lowest 10% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Exeter 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 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8 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%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below 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 |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$398,100±$33kLowest about the NH average |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,809±$394 21% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$6,851Lowest about the NH average |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| 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% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.2% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #94 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rollinsford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.