Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Beach vs Hampton 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).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Hampton Beach | Hampton | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,605Lowest |
16,426Highest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
55.8±2.1 29% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3 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% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton 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% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Stratham 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 |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$95,233±$9k 4% 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±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$508,900±$76k 26% above NH |
$550,200±$39k 37% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,628±$94 9% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$6,813 about the NH average |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.8% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach 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 | — | #31 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Winnacunnet High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.