Compare towns
Lee vs Portsmouth vs Stratham vs Madbury
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%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Stratham has the highest household income ($152k).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Portsmouth | Stratham | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,576 |
22,545Highest |
7,754 |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Stratham 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% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Lee and Stratham 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 |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
| Stratham and Madbury 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 |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$476,900±$31kLowest 18% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 45% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Portsmouth 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% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest about the NH average |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Portsmouth School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 10 photos → | 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.