Compare towns
Strafford vs Hollis vs Barnstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hollis has the most people working from home (29%).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k 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 | Hollis | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
8,603Highest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
49.4±5Highest 14% above NH |
42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
| Hollis 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% |
21%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hollis and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2% NH: 40.6% |
57.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead 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±$22k 23% above NH |
$168,883±$22kHighest 71% above NH |
$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
$675,900±$48kHighest 68% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
$1,598±$302 7% above NH |
$1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
| Strafford and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086 9% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Barnstead 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% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
91.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
29%±6.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #73 of 120 in NH | #8 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hollis-Brookline High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.