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Strafford County

New Hampshire · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area · 135,043 residents (2025 est.)

FHFA annual index 1983–2025Developmental county indexPermits through August 2026
FHFA house price index for Strafford County, 1983 to 2025, with the national index rebased to the same start and NBER recessions shadedRecession 1990–91Recession 2001Recession 2007–09Recession 202002004006008001990200020102020United States2025: 703
Strafford County (100 = first year)United States, rebased to the same startNBER recession

FHFA notes: The FHFA HPI is a broad measure of the movement of single-family house prices. The FHFA HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. FHFA describes its county indexes as developmental and subject to revision. The index does not give a dollar value for any home.

FHFA's index for Strafford County, New Hampshire, starts in 1983 and stood at 703 in 2025, +602.6% above its base of 100.

Over the ten years to 2025 the index rose +120.2% (+8.2% a year), above New Hampshire at +113.0% and well above the national +85.0%. The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area rose +89.3%. The latest one-year change is +5.3%.

The strongest decade was the 2000s (+38.7%); the weakest the 1990s (+23.6%).

After a 2006 peak the index fell −22.7% to 2012 and regained the peak in 2019.

Builders were authorised for 518 housing units in the county in the 12 months to August 2026 (−18.0% on the previous 12 months), 3.8 units per 1,000 residents; 56% were single-family houses. Since 1995 the county has authorised 14,974 units, most in 2024.

+5.3%1 year, 2024–2025New Hampshire +4.7%
+69.9%5 yearsUS +47.0%
+120.2%10 years+8.2% a year annualised
+213.7%since 2000US +158.3%
518units permitted, 12 months3.8 per 1,000 residents

Same span, four levels

Change in the FHFA indexStrafford CountyBoston-Cambridge-Newton areaNew HampshireUnited States
1 year (2024–2025)+5.3%+4.0%+4.7%+2.8%
5 years (2020–2025)+69.9%+49.4%+65.7%+47.0%
10 years (2015–2025)+120.2%+89.3%+113.0%+85.0%
20 years (2005–2025)+91.9%+77.7%+87.2%+79.1%
Since 2000+213.7%+182.4%+206.4%+158.3%
Since 1983+602.6%+749.9%+594.0%+434.9%
10-year annualised+8.2%+6.6%+7.9%+6.3%
20-year annualised+3.3%+2.9%+3.2%+3.0%

All columns are FHFA annual all-transactions indexes over the same years.

Decade by decade

DecadeChangeUnited States
1990s (1990–2000)+23.6%+33.9%
2000s (2000–2010)+38.7%+29.7%
2010s (2010–2020)+33.1%+35.5%
2020s so far (2020–2025)+69.9%+47.0%

FHFA reports each index with a value of 100 in its base period, the first year the area has enough transactions (1983 here). A decade's change is the index at the end of the decade divided by the index at the start, so it does not depend on the base year; the United States column covers the same years. Decades before 1983 are not shown.

Peak-to-low declines

PeakLowDeclinePeak regained
20062012−22.7%2019
19891994−18.3%1999

Building permits

Housing units authorised by building permits in Strafford County, by month over the latest five years and by year since 1995.

Housing units authorised in Strafford County by month, latest 12 months050100150Sep 2025: 56 units (56 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2025Oct 2025: 27 units (25 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Oct 2025Nov 2025: 14 units (12 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Nov 2025Dec 2025: 69 units (26 single-family, 43 in multi-unit buildings)Dec 2025Jan 2026: 17 units (15 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Jan 2026Feb 2026: 9 units (7 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Feb 2026Mar 2026: 19 units (19 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Mar 2026Apr 2026: 39 units (21 single-family, 18 in multi-unit buildings)Apr 2026May 2026: 35 units (21 single-family, 14 in multi-unit buildings)May 2026Jun 2026: 85 units (30 single-family, 55 in multi-unit buildings)Jun 2026Jul 2026: 115 units (36 single-family, 79 in multi-unit buildings)Jul 2026Aug 2026: 33 units (24 single-family, 9 in multi-unit buildings)Aug 2026

Housing units authorised in Strafford County by month, latest 12 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings

Housing units authorised in Strafford County by month, latest 60 months0100200Sep 2021: 57 units (23 single-family, 34 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2021Oct 2021: 23 units (15 single-family, 8 in multi-unit buildings)Nov 2021: 75 units (24 single-family, 51 in multi-unit buildings)Dec 2021: 14 units (14 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Jan 2022: 23 units (23 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Feb 2022: 24 units (24 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Mar 2022: 27 units (25 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Apr 2022: 44 units (20 single-family, 24 in multi-unit buildings)May 2022: 31 units (29 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Jun 2022: 90 units (18 single-family, 72 in multi-unit buildings)Jul 2022: 26 units (21 single-family, 5 in multi-unit buildings)Aug 2022: 80 units (25 single-family, 55 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2022: 40 units (38 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2022Oct 2022: 43 units (18 single-family, 25 in multi-unit buildings)Nov 2022: 35 units (14 single-family, 21 in multi-unit buildings)Dec 2022: 28 units (19 single-family, 9 in multi-unit buildings)Jan 2023: 120 units (17 single-family, 103 in multi-unit buildings)Feb 2023: 22 units (22 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Mar 2023: 38 units (20 single-family, 18 in multi-unit buildings)Apr 2023: 18 units (18 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)May 2023: 27 units (27 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Jun 2023: 45 units (45 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Jul 2023: 14 units (14 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Aug 2023: 36 units (36 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2023: 31 units (26 single-family, 5 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2023Oct 2023: 40 units (23 single-family, 17 in multi-unit buildings)Nov 2023: 16 units (16 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Dec 2023: 27 units (25 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Jan 2024: 11 units (11 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Feb 2024: 16 units (16 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Mar 2024: 25 units (17 single-family, 8 in multi-unit buildings)Apr 2024: 65 units (37 single-family, 28 in multi-unit buildings)May 2024: 76 units (36 single-family, 40 in multi-unit buildings)Jun 2024: 28 units (24 single-family, 4 in multi-unit buildings)Jul 2024: 174 units (34 single-family, 140 in multi-unit buildings)Aug 2024: 86 units (34 single-family, 52 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2024: 172 units (18 single-family, 154 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2024Oct 2024: 23 units (21 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Nov 2024: 32 units (21 single-family, 11 in multi-unit buildings)Dec 2024: 35 units (21 single-family, 14 in multi-unit buildings)Jan 2025: 19 units (13 single-family, 6 in multi-unit buildings)Feb 2025: 46 units (16 single-family, 30 in multi-unit buildings)Mar 2025: 41 units (21 single-family, 20 in multi-unit buildings)Apr 2025: 77 units (35 single-family, 42 in multi-unit buildings)May 2025: 65 units (25 single-family, 40 in multi-unit buildings)Jun 2025: 29 units (23 single-family, 6 in multi-unit buildings)Jul 2025: 32 units (24 single-family, 8 in multi-unit buildings)Aug 2025: 61 units (26 single-family, 35 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2025: 56 units (56 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Sep 2025Oct 2025: 27 units (25 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Nov 2025: 14 units (12 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Dec 2025: 69 units (26 single-family, 43 in multi-unit buildings)Jan 2026: 17 units (15 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Feb 2026: 9 units (7 single-family, 2 in multi-unit buildings)Mar 2026: 19 units (19 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)Apr 2026: 39 units (21 single-family, 18 in multi-unit buildings)May 2026: 35 units (21 single-family, 14 in multi-unit buildings)Jun 2026: 85 units (30 single-family, 55 in multi-unit buildings)Jul 2026: 115 units (36 single-family, 79 in multi-unit buildings)Aug 2026: 33 units (24 single-family, 9 in multi-unit buildings)

Housing units authorised in Strafford County by month, latest 60 monthssingle-family2+ unit buildings

Housing units authorised in Strafford County by year, 1995–202505001,0001995: 275 units (275 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)19951996: 264 units (264 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)1997: 320 units (320 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)1998: 368 units (368 single-family, 0 in multi-unit buildings)1999: 486 units (448 single-family, 38 in multi-unit buildings)2000: 598 units (562 single-family, 36 in multi-unit buildings)20002001: 585 units (487 single-family, 98 in multi-unit buildings)2002: 828 units (540 single-family, 288 in multi-unit buildings)2003: 934 units (581 single-family, 353 in multi-unit buildings)2004: 822 units (674 single-family, 148 in multi-unit buildings)2005: 668 units (626 single-family, 42 in multi-unit buildings)20052006: 549 units (456 single-family, 93 in multi-unit buildings)2007: 478 units (411 single-family, 67 in multi-unit buildings)2008: 308 units (214 single-family, 94 in multi-unit buildings)2009: 289 units (182 single-family, 107 in multi-unit buildings)2010: 256 units (208 single-family, 48 in multi-unit buildings)20102011: 354 units (181 single-family, 173 in multi-unit buildings)2012: 191 units (172 single-family, 19 in multi-unit buildings)2013: 396 units (211 single-family, 185 in multi-unit buildings)2014: 416 units (186 single-family, 230 in multi-unit buildings)2015: 313 units (233 single-family, 80 in multi-unit buildings)20152016: 341 units (259 single-family, 82 in multi-unit buildings)2017: 520 units (340 single-family, 180 in multi-unit buildings)2018: 532 units (298 single-family, 234 in multi-unit buildings)2019: 778 units (224 single-family, 554 in multi-unit buildings)2020: 317 units (265 single-family, 52 in multi-unit buildings)20202021: 435 units (299 single-family, 136 in multi-unit buildings)2022: 463 units (259 single-family, 204 in multi-unit buildings)2023: 498 units (296 single-family, 202 in multi-unit buildings)2024: 942 units (327 single-family, 615 in multi-unit buildings)2025: 450 units (260 single-family, 190 in multi-unit buildings)2025

Housing units authorised in Strafford County by year, 1995–2025single-family2+ unit buildings

Permits, 12 months to August 2026Strafford CountyNew HampshireUnited States
Housing units authorised5184,9871,418,086
Units per 1,000 residents3.83.54.1
Single-family share56%65%63%
Change on previous 12 months−18.0%+15.7%−0.1%
Units authorised since 199514,974151,92143,082,761

Population is the Census Bureau's vintage 2025 estimate. Permits authorise construction; they are not completions.

ZIP codes in Strafford County

Ranked by ten-year change in the FHFA ZIP index. Where a ZIP's index ends before 2025, its spans end in that year.

ZIP1 year10 yearsSince 2000Index throughYears
03835+10.6%+151.0%+234.1%202537
03867+6.0%+141.1%+229.4%202541
03887−1.4%+136.5%—202525
03851+5.7%+135.3%—202525
03884+8.6%+129.5%+230.7%202528
03878+3.7%+125.8%+214.3%202541
03868+5.9%+122.5%+221.9%202540
03855+2.9%+121.7%+214.7%202536
03839+2.5%+119.4%+190.2%202540
03820+7.1%+117.6%+224.6%202542
03869−9.3%+116.8%+203.5%202535
03861+5.3%+116.4%+195.7%202537
03824+6.5%+111.5%+203.2%202540
03825+4.3%+105.6%+182.9%202537
03823+1.2%+85.5%+181.7%202540

Cities and permit-issuing places in Strafford County

Housing units authorised in the 12 months to August 2026; places with at least 12 units in the year, or in the year before.

PlaceUnits, 12 monthsPer 1,000 residentsSingle-family
Dover1614.734%
Rochester1253.758%
Durham town60—8%
Barrington town47—83%
Somersworth342.8100%
New Durham town19—89%
Farmington town17—88%
Strafford town15—100%
Middleton town14—100%
Milton town13—100%

Questions and answers

How much have home values in Strafford County risen over 10 years?

The FHFA index for Strafford County rose +120.2% from 2015 to 2025, about +8.2% a year. Over 20 years: +91.9%; since 2000: +213.7%.

How does Strafford County compare with New Hampshire and the United States?

Over the ten years to 2025: Strafford County +120.2%, New Hampshire +113.0%, United States +85.0%, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH +89.3%.

What happened to Strafford County prices in 2008?

The index peaked in 2006 and fell −22.7% to 2012; it passed the peak again in 2019. The state index fell −21.2% over 2006–2012.

How many homes are being built in Strafford County?

518 housing units were authorised by building permits in the 12 months to August 2026 (292 single-family, 188 in buildings of five or more units), or 3.8 per 1,000 residents against 3.5 for New Hampshire.

Where does this data come from?

The index is FHFA's annual county house price index (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, with values through 2025. Permits are from the Census Bureau Building Permits Survey through August 2026; population is the Census Bureau's vintage 2025 estimate.

Provenance

Index: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual house price index for counties (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, values 1983–2025; metro, state and national comparisons from FHFA's annual indexes in the same release. Permits: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, county and place files, through August 2026. Population: Census Bureau vintage 2025 estimates. ZIP assignment: 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file. Public domain throughout. Corrections · FHFA HPI datasets · Building Permits Survey.