Compare towns
Bow vs Ogunquit vs Stratham vs Townsend
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Ogunquit | Stratham | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,379Lowest |
7,754 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Townsend 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. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
— | $2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | — | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.