Compare towns
Strafford vs Bow vs Stratham vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Stratham | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
8,335Highest |
7,754 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford 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% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest 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% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149 129% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham 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 History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.