Compare towns
Stratham vs Portsmouth vs Durham vs Bow
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 people working from home (25.3%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Portsmouth | Durham | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,754Lowest |
22,545Highest |
15,080 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Portsmouth 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% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest 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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth 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% NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above 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±$36k 63% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$504,300±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781 47% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Stratham 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% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
22 min 17% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Portsmouth School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Oyster River High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.3 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.