Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Falls vs Brookline 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 most affordable homes ($507k median).
Hampton Falls has the oldest population (median age 49.5).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 Falls | Brookline | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,328Lowest |
5,736 |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Hampton Falls and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Falls 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% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Brookline 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 |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$151,998±$20kLowest 53% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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 |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,852±$475 24% above NH |
$2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Stratham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Bow 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 min 21% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham and Brookline 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hampton Falls School District | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.