Compare towns
Bow vs Bedford vs South Hampton vs Concord
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 kids (25% under 18).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
South Hampton has the most expensive homes ($661k median).
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 | Bedford | South Hampton | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
23,746 |
984Lowest |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8% NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
45.1±5.3Highest 4% above NH |
40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
| South Hampton and Bedford 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% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and South Hampton 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% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Concord 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% |
52.4% NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$152,500±$44k 54% above NH |
$84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
| Bow and Bedford 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 |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
| South Hampton and Bedford 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 |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,889±$489 27% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
| Bedford and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
$7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford 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 NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
88.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | — | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Bedford School District | South Hampton School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bedford High School | None in town | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— | 13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.