Compare towns
Stratham vs Swanzey vs Bow vs Amherst
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).
Swanzey has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Swanzey | Bow | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,754 |
7,398Lowest |
8,335 |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Swanzey and Amherst 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% |
18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 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% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Swanzey 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% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Bow 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±$20k 53% above NH |
$81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst 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 |
$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,508±$303 about the NH average |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey 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% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | #102 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.