Compare towns
Bow vs Lyme vs Stratham vs Windham
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 most affordable homes ($507k median).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Lyme | Stratham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,710Lowest |
7,754 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Lyme and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bow 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
69.9% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 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±$16k 75% above NH |
$133,906±$15kLowest 35% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$2,511±$377 68% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | 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.