Compare towns

Bow vs Carroll 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 highest household income ($173k).
Carroll has the oldest population (median age 62.4).
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.

MeasureBowCarrollConcord
People
Population
8,335
659Lowest
44,375Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+7.5%
NH: +4.6%
+3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.5±2
4% below NH
62.4±4.8Highest
44% above NH
40.7±1.3Lowest
6% below NH
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
7%±4.5Lowest
NH: 18.2%
17.2%±1.3
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Lowest
NH: 20.1%
39.5%±4.4Highest
NH: 20.1%
18.7%±1.5
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
NH: 40.6%
35.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
42.3%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
NH: 6%
1.8%±1.2Lowest
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
$64,821±$26kLowest
35% below NH
$84,902±$5k
14% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
26% above NH
$261,500±$42kLowest
35% below NH
$350,900±$13k
13% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Highest
3% above NH
$1,078±$241Lowest
28% below NH
$1,441±$43
3% below NH
Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584Highest
44% above NH
$3,356Lowest
50% below NH
$7,227
8% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
NH: 48.2%
28%±47.5Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.1%±5.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
Concord and Bow 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%
5.5%
NH: 7.2%
8.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
NH: 72.8%
91.6%Highest
NH: 72.8%
56.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
6 yrs newer than NH
1984
5 yrs newer than NH
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the NH average
22 minLowest
19% below NH
23 min
14% below NH
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
NH: 16.8%
4.6%±3.2Lowest
NH: 16.8%
14.1%±1.8
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 120 in NH — #89 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District — Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District
High school in town Bow High School — Concord High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
—
13.0Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.