Merrimack County vs Strafford County
Merrimack County, New Hampshire versus Strafford County, New Hampshire: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Merrimack County and Strafford County score about the same overall (53 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Merrimack County | Strafford County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $56k |
| Home Value | $298k | $300k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.16% | 2.16% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.46% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.24% | 8.26% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.6 in | 48.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 67.8 in | 47.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 84 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 78.2 | 64.1 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 90.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1044/100k | 962/100k |
| Property Crime | 810/100k | 1144/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 153,918 | 130,965 |
| Median Age | 42.8 | 37.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.19 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+16 |
| White (%) | 91.1% | 88.6% |
| Black (%) | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 6.7/20 | 7.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 73 mi | 65 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.3% | 90.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.78 | 3.51 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Merrimack County or Strafford County more affordable?
- Merrimack County has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Merrimack County's $50k and Strafford County's $56k. Median rent is $1k in Merrimack County versus $1k in Strafford County.
- Is Merrimack County or Strafford County safer?
- Strafford County has the lower violent crime rate. Merrimack County reports 1044/100k and Strafford County reports 962/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Merrimack County or Strafford County?
- The median home value is $298k in Merrimack County and $300k in Strafford County, so homes are more affordable in Merrimack County.