Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Falls vs Stratham vs Webster
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k median).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($339k 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 Falls | Stratham | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,328 |
7,754 |
2,227Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
44.7±7.6 3% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Webster 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% |
19.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±8 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% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±1.3 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% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$107,171±$14kLowest 8% above NH |
| Bow and Hampton Falls 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 |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$338,500±$30kLowest 16% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,852±$475 24% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,396±$622Lowest 6% below NH |
| Stratham and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$6,021Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
53.6%±71 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Webster 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% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
31 min 14% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Hampton Falls School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Merrimack Valley 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.