Compare towns
Bow vs Ware vs Windham 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
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Ware | Windham | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,048 |
16,038Highest |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Ware and Stratham 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Ware 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. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Windham 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±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
| Windham and Stratham 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. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377 78% above U.S. |
| Windham and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% 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% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Stratham 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Ware | Windham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.