Compare towns
Bow vs Madbury vs Norwich 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 the highest household income ($173k).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Madbury | Norwich | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,203Lowest |
3,640 |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
40.8±3.2 5% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Bow 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% |
52.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Norwich 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. |
$148,365±$30k 84% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12kLowest 74% 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. |
$476,900±$31kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Bow 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 | — | #1 of 70 in VT | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Norwich 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 | None yet | 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.