What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).

Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Alton
People
Population	8,335Highest	5,994Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH	53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%	13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%Highest NH: 40.6%	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH	$113,715±$19kLowest 15% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH	$430,400±$37kLowest 7% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178 3% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 44% above NH	$4,183Lowest 37% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2%	31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Bow and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%	4.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the NH average	33 minHighest 24% above NH
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Bow and Alton 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	#72 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Prospect Mountain High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.