Compare towns
Stratham vs Plymouth vs Durham
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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754 |
6,601Lowest |
10,681Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9Highest 4% below NH |
24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.9% NH: 40.6% |
54%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,998±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Stratham and Durham 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 |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781 47% above NH |
$6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Durham 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% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
18 min 31% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham and Durham 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.