Compare towns
Bow vs Stratham vs Topsham
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).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Stratham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
7,754Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Topsham 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% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Topsham 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. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% 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. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Topsham 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.