Merrimack County vs Strafford County
A side-by-side comparison of Merrimack County and Strafford County: population, income, housing, and more.
Merrimack County and Strafford County are counties in New Hampshire. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Merrimack County has the higher population (155,018 vs 131,743 in Strafford County). Merrimack County has the higher median household income ($93,944 vs $86,564 in Strafford County). Strafford County has the higher median home value ($332,400 vs $330,600 in Merrimack County).
Population, income & housing
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 155,018 | 131,743 |
| Median age | 42.6 yrs | 37.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $93,944 | $86,564 |
| Median home value | $330,600 | $332,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,293 | $1,413 |
| Housing units | 66,080 | 56,162 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.5% | 67.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.1% | 38.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 149,917 → 155,018 (+3.4%) | 129,124 → 131,743 (+2.0%) |
| Median household income | $75,737 → $93,944 (+24.0%) | $72,960 → $86,564 (+18.6%) |
| Median home value | $237,600 → $330,600 (+39.1%) | $235,900 → $332,400 (+40.9%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,042 → $1,293 (+24.1%) | $1,091 → $1,413 (+29.5%) |
Merrimack County
149,917155,018
$75,737$93,944
$237,600$330,600
$1,042$1,293
Strafford County
129,124131,743
$72,960$86,564
$235,900$332,400
$1,091$1,413
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.1% | 13.5% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.1% | 14.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.5% | 11.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.6% | 11.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.1% | 13.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.9% | 10.0% |
| 75 and over | 7.4% | 6.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 90.6% | 88.1% |
| Black or African American | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 1.6% | 2.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3.3% | 4.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.6% | 3.1% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| High school graduate | 28.2% | 26.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.4% | 30.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 22.2% | 24.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 15.9% | 14.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.0% | 72.4% |
| Carpooled | 7.7% | 6.0% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 1.5% |
| Walked | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 13.1% | 15.4% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 63.2% | 56.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.4% | 4.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 11.5% | 13.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.2% | 9.4% |
| 20 or more units | 7.1% | 9.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 6.6% | 8.4% |
Poverty & households
| Merrimack County | Strafford County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 8.8% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 2.39 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1977 | 1978 |
Full profiles
2Related rankings
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