Compare towns
Strafford vs Bow vs Sharon vs Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Sharon has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Sharon | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
8,335Highest |
1,577 |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
| Bow and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Bow and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 129% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,903Lowest 89% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Bow School District | Sharon School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.