Compare towns
Bow vs Williston vs Stratham vs Dunbarton
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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Williston | Stratham | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,144Highest |
7,754 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Bow 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. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% 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. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Dunbarton 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% |
4.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #43 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.