Compare towns
Bath vs Bow vs Hooksett vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | Bath | Bow | Hooksett | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,335 |
15,057Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Bow and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bow School District | Hooksett School District | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.