Compare towns
Bow vs Waitsfield vs Stowe 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).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Waitsfield | Stowe | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,918Lowest |
5,285 |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Waitsfield 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% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Waitsfield 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% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Stowe 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% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest 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±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% 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. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157k 95% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Stowe 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. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242 3% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
$7,161 130% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Waitsfield 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% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1982 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 5% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Stowe 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 |
| School district | Bow School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Stowe Town School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.