Compare towns
Bow vs Chapman vs Mapleton vs Townsend
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Chapman | Mapleton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
388Lowest |
1,884 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman 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% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Chapman 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. |
$93,125±$17k 15% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
— | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$1,850 41% below U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | — | 13.1Highest |
| 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.