Compare towns

Stratham vs Roxbury vs Bow vs Exeter

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).
Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% 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.

MeasureStrathamRoxburyBowExeter
People
Population
7,754
299Lowest
8,335
16,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.7%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
—
+9.4%
NH: +4.6%
+12.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.6±4.9
4% below NH
43.2±17.7
about the NH average
41.5±2Lowest
4% below NH
45.8±2.3Highest
6% above NH
Exeter and Roxbury 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%
14.7%±11.5Lowest
NH: 18.2%
25%±3.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
17%±2.7
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%
17.4%±10.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
17.6%±2.5
NH: 20.1%
24.4%±2.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
Exeter 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
NH: 40.6%
30.6%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
60.3%
NH: 40.6%
59.2%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.7Lowest
NH: 6%
13.4%±15.8Highest
NH: 6%
5.6%±1.9
NH: 6%
6.1%±1.8
NH: 6%
Roxbury and Exeter 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
53% above NH
$69,226±$14kLowest
30% below NH
$172,857±$16kHighest
75% above NH
$110,346±$13k
11% 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±$36kHighest
63% above NH
$323,100±$219kLowest
20% below NH
$506,500±$34k
26% above NH
$456,600±$21k
13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,511±$377Highest
68% above NH
—
$1,539±$178Lowest
3% above NH
$1,856±$223
24% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,781Highest
47% above NH
$5,787Lowest
13% below NH
$9,584
44% above NH
$8,814
32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
64%±38.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
39%±13.2
NH: 48.2%
59%±11.3
NH: 48.2%
Stratham and Exeter 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%
3.7%
NH: 7.2%
2.7%
NH: 7.2%
4.7%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.6%
NH: 72.8%
95.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
87.5%
NH: 72.8%
69.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
7 yrs newer than NH
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1985
6 yrs newer than NH
1979
same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the NH average
21 minLowest
22% below NH
27 minHighest
about the NH average
25 min
7% below NH
Work from home
25.3%±6.6Highest
NH: 16.8%
0.7%±1.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
22.7%±4.7
NH: 16.8%
19.9%±3.7
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 — #26 of 120 in NH #22 of 120 in NH
School district Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District — Bow School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town None in town — Bow High School Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.8Highest
12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet None yet 59 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.