Compare towns
Bow vs Lee vs Townsend vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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 | Townsend | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
4,576Lowest |
9,100Highest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Lee 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 114% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | North Middlesex | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.