Compare towns
Bow vs Keene vs Lebanon 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).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Keene | Lebanon | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
22,939Highest |
14,999 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
41.6±4.9Highest 4% below NH |
| Stratham and Bow 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 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% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Lebanon 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% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
$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 |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,744±$132 17% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$8,149 22% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Keene 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% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
17 min 36% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham and Lebanon 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Keene School District | Lebanon School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Keene High School | Lebanon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3 |
11.7Lowest |
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| 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.