Compare towns
Bow vs Lee vs Auburn 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).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($481k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Lee | Auburn | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,576Lowest |
6,119 |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
44.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Auburn and Lee 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% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3Lowest 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee 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% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Auburn 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 |
$131,579±$54kLowest 33% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
| Bow and Auburn 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 |
$480,600±$61kLowest 19% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Stratham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
— | $1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Stratham and Auburn 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 |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
28 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Auburn 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Auburn 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 | 10 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.