Compare towns
Stratham vs Merrimack vs Manchester
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).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
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 | Merrimack | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754Lowest |
28,164 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9Highest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Stratham and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham and Merrimack 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% |
50.2% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Merrimack 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 53% above NH |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Stratham and Merrimack 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 |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$7,345 10% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Manchester 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% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham and Merrimack 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 | #58 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Merrimack School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Merrimack High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 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.