Wadley's bridge, 1908
Lee’s story
369 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,029 in 1790, a low of 376 in 1930, 4,520 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 4 maps from 1917 on.
- 1657Lee is settled
Photo: Bostonian13 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,563
2025 Census estimate · +0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$622K
+3.2% in a year
Household income
$132K
median
Median age
42.9
years
Jobs based here
1,308
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#13 of 125 in NH
Is Lee a good place to live?
Few places in the country grade higher. Lee earns an A, 13th of 125 graded towns in New Hampshire. It is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, it reports less crime per resident than 89% of U.S. towns, and the median household earns $132K. The exception is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $622K for a typical one and 5.4 times the Boston metro’s $116K median household income. 26% of the land in Lee is conserved, above both the New Hampshire town median (18%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 7 of New Hampshire’s 187 towns score lower on history. Lee Town Forest, at 161 acres with 3.3 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
What makes Lee stand out
Where Lee beats most towns.
32 measures vs. New Hampshire
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Lee | NH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.1% | 6.8% |
HealthA
Beats NH on 6 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on 1
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1657
A long history
A history going back 369 years.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lee0.7
New Hampshire1.2
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
42% less violent crime than NH
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
How Lee grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Hampshire), ordered by how far Lee is from typical.
HealthWentworth-Douglass Hospital 9.3 miles awayAOpen →SafetyAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 2.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsA−Open →History3 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life2.9 library visits per resident; 5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.9; 51% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 186 attractions →Lake Winnipesaukee and 45 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lee. Close and well known come first.
37 mi LakeLake Winnipesaukee
22 mi Ancient siteAmerica's Stonehenge
26 mi Theme parkCanobie Lake Park
21 mi LighthouseCape Neddick Light
13 mi MuseumStrawbery Banke
15 mi LandmarkFort William and MarySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake Winnipesaukee: No machine-readable author provided. JohnJHenderson~commonswiki assumed (based o, Public domain · America's Stonehenge: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Canobie Lake Park: Alex1961, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cape Neddick Light: Stefan Hillebrand, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Strawbery Banke: Ken Gallager (Ken Gallager from en.wikipedia), Public domain · Fort William and Mary: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lee: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lee, and how to reach them.
PowerNew Hampshire Elec Coop24.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEvergreen Terrace water system5 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offNewmarket Transfer Station, 4 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteIn personNew Hampshire has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail only in special circumstances (received 13 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown Clerk of LeeThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code0386103861 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 19, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lee.
Lee has more 90° days than almost anywhere else in New Hampshire and has an unusually large share working from home, but it reports more crime than Newmarket and its other graded neighbors.
OutdoorsA−
Lee has set aside nearly a quarter of its land for conservation
37 miles of trail in 16 parks and preserves. Lee’s trail density is 1.9 miles per square mile, above both New Hampshire’s towns (1.2) and U.S. towns (0.4).
#16for trails in NH
26.4%
conserved · 3,392 of 12,852 acres
37 mi
of trails · 1.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lee Town Forest | 3.3 mi | 161 |
| 2. Little River Park | 1.5 mi | 36 |
| 3. Maud Jones Memorial Forest | 1.3 mi | 75 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA
Lee’s public schools outperform 85% of New Hampshire districts
Its public schools are run by the Oyster River Coop School District. Its one school is below.
85%of NH districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mast Way SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 348 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NH on state tests and graduation
HealthA
Lee stands out in New Hampshire and nationally: a smaller share of its adults sleep under 7 hours
27% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Lee. Only 6 of the 126 New Hampshire towns we compare have a lower share of adults who get no exercise outside work than Lee. 9% of adults smoke cigarettes in Lee.
94%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Lee | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 33% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 12% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 20% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Hampshire
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Lee | NH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.1% | 6.8% |
| Fewer adults who get no exercise | 16.4% | 20.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.2% | 8.9% |
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
9.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
84th
percentile among NH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyA
Lee’s grade for safety is an A
Lee is safe by national standards, yet each of the 3 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Newmarket (A) to Nottingham (A+).
New Hampshire has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Lee sits closer to the middle. The property crime rate in Lee is 3.7 per 1,000 residents.
89%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Lee | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.7 per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lee0.7
New Hampshire1.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lee3.7
New Hampshire8.3
U.S.15.5
89th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
69th
percentile among NH towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
17
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most of Lee’s workers commute out: the town has 0.7 jobs for each of them
27.6% of workers work from home, against 16.8% across New Hampshire.
Most working residents leave Lee for work: only 4% work in town. 2.6% of Lee residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Lee has added 252 jobs, to 1,308 in 2023.
4%work in town
| Lee | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $132,000 | $103,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 6.8% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lee4%
Portsmouth16%
Durham13%
Dover10%
Exeter5%
11 mi
median commute distance
1,308
jobs based in Lee
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 54% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C−
Lee’s grade for cost of living is a C−
Among 126 New Hampshire towns, just 7 have a higher share of households owning their home than Lee. The typical Lee home is worth about $622,000, up 3.2% in a year, 22% above the New Hampshire typical home.
$622KZillow home value
Typical home value
Lee$622K
New Hampshire$511K
+3.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Lee has four seasons and pleasant summers
The Durham weather station records that about 15 days a year reach 90°, the #2 highest of 321 New Hampshire places with climate records. July afternoons average 82.4°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 83% of New Hampshire places with climate records; January nights average 14.6°.
Lee has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. About 39 inches of snow falls in a winter. Lee’s January low is 15°F.
39″snow a winter
| Lee | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 15°F | 13°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 81°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–36°
Spring34–56°
Summer57–80°
Fall40–61°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Lee
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 12 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lee.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHurricanes
12
paid flood claims since 1996
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lee
20pages on Lee
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 85% of NH districts · 1 schoolSafetyA0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NH on 6 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$622K typical home · up 3.2% in a yearWork & commuteA$132K median household income · 1,308 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Lee
University of New HampshireUniversity or college · Public · Durham3.9 mi$19,202 in-state tuitionGreat Bay Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Portsmouth11 mi$7,200 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Lee residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Hampshire.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Lee for work
Where Lee’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,308jobs based in Lee
4%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Lee
3 notable people were born in Lee.
About Lee
Town in New Hampshire, United States
Lee is a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,520 at the 2020 census. The town is a rural farm and bedroom community, being close to the University of New Hampshire.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1657
- Area
- 20 sq mi
- Elevation
- 190 ft
- ZIP code
- 03861
- Area code
- 603
Lee’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Lee.
DurhamNottinghamNewmarketMadburyLee
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee | #13 | A | C− | A | A | A |
| Durham | – | A+ | B− | A | A | A |
| Nottingham | #26 | A | C− | A+ | A− | A |
| Newmarket | #37 | A− | C− | A | B | A |
| Madbury | — | — | B− | — | A | A |
Madbury has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Madbury reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Lee with a neighbor →
Questions about Lee
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lee, NH a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Lee grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #13 of 125 in New Hampshire. It grades A for health, A for safety and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Lee, NH safe?
Yes, by national standards. New Hampshire has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Lee sits nearer the middle.
Is Lee, NH expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Lee, NH known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Abbie Huston Evans and Daniel Meserve Durell.