Compare towns
Stratham vs Swanzey vs Lee
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).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754Highest |
7,398 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9Lowest 4% below NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Swanzey and Lee 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lee 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±$20kHighest 53% above NH |
$81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Stratham and Lee 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 |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 47% above NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest 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% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6% NH: 72.8% |
71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Monadnock Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 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.