Compare towns
Bow vs Acton vs Concord
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Acton has the oldest population (median age 52.9).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% 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 | Bow | Acton | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,721Lowest |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
52.9±4.2Highest 36% above U.S. |
40.7±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$78,750±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$84,902±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$334,300±$34kLowest about the U.S. average |
$350,900±$13k 5% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$2,680Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$7,227 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acton and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Acton 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 | #43 of 133 in ME | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Acton Public Schools | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.