Compare towns
Bath vs Hooksett vs Bow
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).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Hooksett | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
15,057Highest |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Bath and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 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. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above 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 | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest 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% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Hooksett School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.