Compare towns
Eliot vs Bedford 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
Eliot has the most affordable homes ($499k median).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
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 | Eliot | Bedford | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
23,746Highest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #7 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bedford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.