Compare towns

Plymouth vs Stratham vs Lee vs Holderness

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasurePlymouthStrathamLeeHolderness
People
Population
6,601
7,754Highest
4,576
1,917Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-4.4%
NH: +4.6%
+5.7%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+4.4%
NH: +4.6%
-4.9%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
24.6±3.4Lowest
43% below NH
41.6±4.9
4% below NH
42.9±1.9Highest
about the NH average
39.4±7.4
9% 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
13.6%±3.6Lowest
NH: 18.2%
23.5%±5.3Highest
NH: 18.2%
21.9%±5.6
NH: 18.2%
14.7%±9.3
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+
12%±2.7Lowest
NH: 20.1%
20.6%±3.6
NH: 20.1%
22.6%±6.8
NH: 20.1%
31.4%±4.6Highest
NH: 20.1%
Holderness and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
54%
NH: 40.6%
69.9%Highest
NH: 40.6%
50.6%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
55.7%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
33.7%±3.5Highest
NH: 6%
3.9%±1.7
NH: 6%
5.4%±2.6
NH: 6%
2.6%±1.6Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$77,027±$26kLowest
22% below NH
$151,998±$20kHighest
53% above NH
$131,579±$54k
33% above NH
$107,863±$45k
9% 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
$292,400±$22kLowest
27% below NH
$655,400±$36kHighest
63% above NH
$480,600±$61k
19% above NH
$363,100±$60k
10% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,108±$255Lowest
26% below NH
$2,511±$377Highest
68% above NH
—
$2,068±$385
39% above NH
Stratham and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,288
6% below NH
$9,781Highest
47% above NH
$9,661
45% above NH
$3,923Lowest
41% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.8%±11.6
NH: 48.2%
64%±38.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
38.3%±53.3
NH: 48.2%
23.5%±21.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Stratham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
18.6%Highest
NH: 7.2%
2.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
2.6%
NH: 7.2%
12.1%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
56.3%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
92.6%
NH: 72.8%
95.8%Highest
NH: 72.8%
83.7%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Lowest
2 yrs newer than NH
1986
7 yrs newer than NH
1987Highest
8 yrs newer than NH
1981Lowest
2 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
31% below NH
27 min
about the NH average
28 minHighest
about the NH average
27 min
about the NH average
Work from home
11.7%±3.6
NH: 16.8%
25.3%±6.6
NH: 16.8%
27.6%±8.8Highest
NH: 16.8%
9.4%±4.1Lowest
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 #47 of 120 in NH #43 of 120 in NH #3 of 120 in NH —
School district Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District Oyster River Coop School District Holderness School District
High school in town Plymouth Regional High School None in town None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8
— — —
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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.