Compare towns
Bow vs Brookline vs Ripton vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most renters (12.5% rent).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Ripton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,736 |
508Lowest |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| 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±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
— | $1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | — | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.