Compare towns
Bow vs Brookline vs Westminster
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 highest household income ($173k).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
5,736 |
2,999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below 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. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow 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. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below 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. |
$4,063Lowest 30% 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% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster 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% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.