Compare towns
Strafford vs Sutton vs Whiting 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 expensive homes ($431k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Whiting has the most affordable homes ($280k median).
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 | Whiting | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
2,239Highest |
532Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Strafford 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Strafford 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. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,227Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Strafford School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.