Compare towns
Alton vs Bow vs Concord
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Alton | Bow | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,994Lowest |
8,335 |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,715±$19k 15% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $430,400±$37k 7% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,183Lowest 37% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,227 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #72 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District | Bow School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Prospect Mountain High School | Bow High School | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.8 |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.