Compare towns
Bow vs Lee vs Nottingham 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 people working from home (27.6%).
Nottingham has the youngest population (median age 38.8).
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 | Nottingham | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,576Lowest |
5,357 |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
38.8±6.7Lowest 10% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Lee and Stratham 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%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Nottingham 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.4%±4.2 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% NH: 40.6% |
40.9%Lowest 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% |
5.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Nottingham 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±$54k 33% above NH |
$122,201±$20kLowest 23% above 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±$34k 26% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$457,500±$26kLowest 14% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
— | $2,068±$1k 39% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Stratham and Nottingham 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 |
$7,319Lowest 10% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Stratham 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94.3% NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1992Highest 13 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 |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #15 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Nottingham 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.