Compare towns
Brookline vs Stratham vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Brookline | Stratham | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
7,754 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest 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+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Lowest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.