Compare towns
Goffstown vs Sutton vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Goffstown has the most renters (17.3% rent).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Strafford has the most expensive 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 | Goffstown | Sutton | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,513Highest |
2,239Lowest |
4,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,958±$12kLowest 15% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,400±$20k 6% below NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$427,900±$29kHighest 6% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,635±$246 10% above NH |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941 4% above NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
$6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Strafford and Sutton 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 | #35 of 120 in NH | — | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Goffstown School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Goffstown High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.