Compare towns
Stratham vs Kittery vs Hampton Beach
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 highest household income ($152k).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Kittery | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754 |
10,473Highest |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Kittery 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery 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±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,375±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Hampton Beach 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Stratham 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.