Compare towns
Strafford vs Sutton 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
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Sutton | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306 |
2,239Lowest |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Strafford 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% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest 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 |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246 10% above NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
| Sutton 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 |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 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% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Strafford 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 |
| School district | Strafford School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.