
Strafford
Home to Parker Mountain — Strafford County's Highest Peak
Part of the Rochester area
Visit Rochester guideAbout Strafford
Strafford is a sprawling rural town of over 50 square miles in southeastern New Hampshire, anchored by the beautiful Bow Lake at its heart and the scenic Blue Hills Range along its eastern edge. Established in 1820, the town has maintained its agrarian character with working farms, forested hills, and a network of quiet country roads perfect for cycling and horseback riding. The drive around Bow Lake on Province Road is one of the prettiest loops in the region. Strafford manages to feel genuinely remote while sitting roughly equidistant between Concord and Portsmouth, making it a practical choice for commuters who want to come home to stone walls and starlit skies. The town center, such as it is, consists of the school, a few churches, and the kind of general store where locals catch up.
Why Strafford?
- Bow Lake for swimming, fishing, kayaking, and ice fishing
- 50+ square miles of rural countryside and working farms
- Equidistant commute to Concord, Dover, and Portsmouth
- Small, community-oriented Strafford School with dedicated staff
- Blue Hills Range hiking and scenic country roads
Quick Facts
Weather in Strafford
Partly Cloudy
Today
55 / 31
Sun
59 / 39
Mon
60 / 39
Map
Living in Strafford
What you need to know about making Strafford your home.
Major Employers
Schools & Education
Strafford School serves PK-8 students locally in SAU 105, with high school students attending Coe-Brown Northwood Academy, a well-regarded public academy in neighboring Northwood.
Cost of Living
Home prices are moderate for southeastern NH, but the $19.76 tax rate is on the higher side, reflecting the cost of maintaining schools and services across a large, low-density town.
Real Estate
$410,000 median home price
$19.76 per $1,000 property tax rate
No state income or sales tax in NH
View listings in StraffordCommute Times
School District
Events near Strafford
Free Soil Testing and Gardening Information Kiosk
Ukelele Group Open Mic
Movie Matinee: Zootopia 2
Foster's Tavern - Henry LaLiberte
Grief Yoga: Movement, Breath & Sound
Atwater-Donnelly Trio
Explore Strafford
YMCA Camp Foss
Isinglass Country Store

Timberledge Wellness
Strafford Town Hall
Hill Library

Cedarwood Wellness Studio
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