Compare towns
Eliot vs Pelham 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
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
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 | Pelham | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
14,449Highest |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1 19% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford 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%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Strafford 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Strafford 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. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22k 51% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,635±$246 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford 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. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,086 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Eliot 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Pelham School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.