Compare towns
Lee vs Derry vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k 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 | Lee | Derry | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,576Lowest |
34,116Highest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Lee and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% NH: 40.6% |
37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Derry and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$108,944±$7kLowest 10% above NH |
$151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
| Stratham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$432,000±$17kLowest 7% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 45% above NH |
$8,103Lowest 22% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pinkerton Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 10 photos → | 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.