Compare towns
Strafford vs Pelham vs Auburn
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).
Pelham has the most kids (22% under 18).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Pelham | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
14,449Highest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1Highest 7% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Strafford and Auburn 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% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham and Auburn 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% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Strafford and Pelham 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% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Pelham 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 |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
| Auburn and Pelham 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 |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Auburn and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246 10% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Strafford 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 |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Pelham 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
28 minLowest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Pelham School District | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.