Compare towns
Pembroke vs Exeter vs Stratham vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($372k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Pembroke | Exeter | Stratham | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,438Lowest |
16,151Highest |
7,754 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589Lowest 14% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham and Bow 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | Exeter High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 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.