Compare towns
Stratham vs Bow vs Hampton Falls vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Stratham | Bow | Hampton Falls | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,754 |
8,335 |
2,328Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Falls and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Bow and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,852±$475 24% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Bow School District | Hampton Falls School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.