Compare towns
Bow vs Bedford vs Windham vs Hopkinton
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 people working from home (27%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Hopkinton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Windham | Hopkinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
23,746Highest |
16,038 |
6,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45±2.8Highest 4% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.9%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Hopkinton 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% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
58.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
7.9%±4.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Hopkinton 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±$16k 75% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$137,477±$21kLowest 39% above NH |
| Windham and Bow 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±$26k 52% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$506,900±$54k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,270±$129Lowest 15% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
42.4%±6 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Windham 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% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.8%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Hopkinton 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #28 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Bedford School District | Windham School District | Hopkinton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bedford High School | Windham High School | Hopkinton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.5Highest |
12.8 |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.