Compare towns
Chittenden vs Bow vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chittenden has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 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 | Chittenden | Bow | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,318Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±6.3 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,250±$28kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,800±$35kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$488Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Bow and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,346Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.8%±55.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Strafford 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 | — |
| School district | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 | Bow School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.