Compare towns
Stratham vs Bow vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k 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 | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754 |
8,335Highest |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Stratham 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 88% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% 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 | $655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Bow School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| 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 Our Story | 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.