Compare towns
Bow vs Bedford vs Brookline
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 the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Bedford | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
23,746Highest |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford 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% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookline 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 |
$167,418±$12kLowest 69% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Brookline 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Bedford School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| 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.