Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Bow vs Durham vs Rockingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Rockingham has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bellows Falls | Bow | Durham | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
8,335 |
15,080Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
46.4±2.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockingham and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$70,857±$16k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$210,900±$14k 37% below U.S. |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,062±$101 25% below U.S. |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,887 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.