Compare towns
Stratham vs Wakefield vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Wakefield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754 |
27,793Highest |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Wakefield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Wakefield 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 88% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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 97% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kLowest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781 214% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Brookline 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.