Compare towns
Stratham vs Walpole vs Exeter vs Bow
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 most homeowners (92.6%).
Walpole has the most people working from home (28.2%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Walpole | Exeter | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,754Lowest |
26,388Highest |
16,151 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
67.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bow 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. |
$171,500±$16k 112% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Walpole 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. |
$687,100±$20kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Walpole 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 78% above U.S. |
$2,205±$222 56% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,523Lowest 173% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walpole 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Walpole High | Exeter High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
12.1 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.