Compare towns
Bow vs Maynard vs Stow 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 most kids (25% under 18).
Maynard has the most renters (25% rent).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
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 | Maynard | Stow | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,712Highest |
7,165Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.3±4.3Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Stow 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% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1 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%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Stow 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
64.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$124,067±$16kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Stow 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 52% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31k 59% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
| Stow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,800±$148 27% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$8,266Lowest 165% 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%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Stow 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stow 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Maynard | Nashoba | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Maynard High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.