What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).

Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k 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.

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

Measure	Bow	Barnstead
People
Population	8,335Highest	4,994Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH	42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average
	Barnstead and Bow 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%	21%±5Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Bow and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Barnstead 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%Highest NH: 40.6%	30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6%	5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6%
	Barnstead 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 75% above NH	$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH	$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH	$1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH
	Bow and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 44% above NH	$6,003Lowest 10% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	47.6%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2%
	Barnstead and Bow 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%	3.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.6%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985 6 yrs newer than NH	1985 6 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the NH average	31 minHighest 16% above NH
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#111 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Barnstead School District
High school in town	Bow High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	—
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.