Compare towns
Strafford vs Ossipee vs Sharon
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 most people working from home (16.1%).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Ossipee | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,372Lowest |
4,521Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$325,500±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Ossipee and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Strafford 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% |
8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford and Sharon 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.