Strafford is a friendly rural town 30 minutes from Hanover and Lebanon
The small community of Strafford has changed little over the years, with its stamp-sized town center and mixture of paved and dirt roads threading through trees and passing alongside farms and pastures. “It’s a very small community, so we’re all there for each other if we need something,” says Bonnie Bergeron, a real estate agent with Snyder Donegan Real Estate Group.
With a population of just over 1,000 people, it’s a little too big to know everyone, but it’s easy to form a network. Bergeron, a sixth-generation Straffordian, and the town’s zoning administrator, says people here are supportive. It’s a sentiment sometimes echoed in folk-drenched songs of Noah Kahan, a native. “If someone gets sick and needs Meals on Wheels, for example, everybody chips in,” she says.
Strafford is about 30 minutes from both Hanover and Lebanon, bigger towns just across the Connecticut River in New Hampshire. City folk might consider that a bit of a trek, but for many who seek out homes here, the quiet, secluded surroundings are a selling point. Bergeron says that the combination of Strafford’s tight-knit, small-town vibe and proximity to Hanover and Lebanon is hard to find anywhere else in the Upper Valley.
Strafford’s community garden, hiking and a love of skiing
Strafford Edible Pocket Park is a local gem, carefully maintained by residents, who tend to its apple and pear trees, currant and blueberry bushes, and more. The park also has tennis courts and a soccer field. During the summer, kids play in the Ompompanoosuc River.
People also swim and launch kayaks from the boat ramp on Miller Pond. The Old City Falls trail is a local favorite, leading to a small waterfall and stream. Once there, people swim in the stream or set up a picnic using the area’s tables, grill or firepits.
Bergeron says that during snowy winters residents set up an ice-skating rink or grab their skis. “We have a ski tow that is run every Sunday by volunteers,” she says. “There’s a small red building that has sporting equipment, so if someone comes from out of town with guests and needs a set of skis or a set of ice skates, you can access this building, borrow them and then put them back.”
Houses with acres of farmland or forest
Colonial-style houses and farmhouse-inspired options are common here, some built as early as the 1790s. While yards are narrow in the town center, acreage is rarely an issue, and many homeowners have farmland, pastures or forests. “I live in an old home, but there’s lots of newer homes as well — definitely nothing cookie-cutter here,” Bergeron says. “You get your own individual style.” Houses don’t go on sale very often here; only 10 were sold in 2024, priced between $230,000 and $830,000. Bergeron says homes do go for more, depending on size, acreage and upkeep. When houses hit the market, they sell quickly, she says.
Heavy snow and rain, potential flooding and “mud season”
Year-round heavy precipitation means residents must take weather into account when traveling. In winter, some travel short distances by snow mobile. There’s a major risk of flooding when the weather warms up. For a short time between winter and spring, Vermont experiences a “mud season” caused by the ground thawing as spring rains begin. During this time, some trails are closed, and four-wheel drives are often needed.
Events in Barrett Memorial Hall, Fourth of July barbecue
Barrett Memorial Hall hosts dances, festivals and bands. The town has a longstanding tradition of holding a meeting there the day before a vote. Fourth of July is popular here and features a barbecue for the whole town and a parade. “It’s the kind of town where if you want to be involved and you want to have stuff to do, there’s absolutely stuff to do,” Bergeron says.
Essentials and conversation at Coburn’s General Store
The tiny town center sits along Justin Morrill Memorial Highway, offering a collection of homes as well as a library, a post office and Coburns’ General Store. This quaint little shop is considered by many to be the heart of the community, serving as a meeting spot as well as a place to buy essentials, hardware and deli sandwiches. The store’s owner is even one the voices featured in Noah Kahan’s song, “The View Between Villages.” For other shopping and restaurants, residents drive about 30 minutes to Hanover or Lebanon.
High schoolers can attend private schools tuition-free
Children in Strafford attend Newton Elementary School from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The school earns an A on Niche. Vermont’s school choice program allows rising ninth graders to choose any nearby school — even private schools, which they can attend tuition-free. One popular choice is B-rated Thetford Academy, a private school with a student-to-teacher ratio of 8-to-1. Another private option, the Sharon Academy, earns a B-minus and offers a student-to-teacher ratio of 9-to-1. Both are about 11 miles away, so Bergeron says parents often carpool.
Simple country roads in Strafford, long drives to nearest highways
Strafford’s biggest roads are simple two-lane streets, some of which branch into dirt roads. State Route 132 eventually leads to highways like Interstate 89, Interstate 91 and U.S. Route 5. The nearest hospital is Lebanon's Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, about 26 miles away.
Written By
Christina Norwood
