Compare towns
Strafford vs Bow vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k 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 | Strafford | Bow | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
8,335Highest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Strafford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,105±$22kLowest 23% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$142,212±$19k 44% above NH |
| Bow and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29kLowest 6% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
| Chester and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
— |
| Strafford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,464 27% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
35 min 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Chester 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Bow School District | Chester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.