What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bakersfield has the most affordable homes ($271k median).

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bakersfield	Bow
People
Population	1,109Lowest	8,335Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±8Highest 19% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Bakersfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bakersfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bakersfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,462±$18kLowest 3% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$271,300±$19kLowest 18% below U.S.	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$327Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.
	Bow and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,823Lowest 23% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18.8%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bow and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	14.2%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85	Bow School District
High school in town	None in town	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.