Compare towns
Bow vs Brookline vs Hanover vs Amherst
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).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookline | Hanover | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,736Lowest |
11,685 |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst 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% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 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% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Hanover 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% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$153,196±$10kLowest 55% 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 |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$2,253±$217 51% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Brookline and Hanover 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Hanover 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Hanover High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.7 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.