Compare towns
Bow vs Amherst vs Litchfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Litchfield has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
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 | Amherst | Litchfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
11,861Highest |
8,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
43.1±1.7 about the NH average |
| Amherst and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Litchfield 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 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10kLowest 55% above NH |
$162,036±$11k 64% above NH |
| Bow and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$485,000±$18kLowest 20% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$2,138±$406Highest 43% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$8,273Lowest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
81.5%±38.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Litchfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #53 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Litchfield School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Campbell High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.