Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Bow vs Suncook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% 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 | Bethlehem | Bow | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Lowest |
8,335Highest |
5,432 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5Highest 17% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Bethlehem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18k 14% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22kLowest 28% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$361,100±$22k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 21% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418Lowest 19% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,975 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±21.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Suncook and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem and Bow 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.