Compare towns
Stratham vs Bow vs Orford
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 expensive homes ($655k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Stratham | Bow | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754 |
8,335Highest |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
| Orford and Stratham 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% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
25.5%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Orford and Stratham 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% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Orford 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 |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
| Bow and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Bow 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% |
5.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Bow School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.