Compare towns

Bow vs Concord vs Freedom

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).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Freedom has the oldest population (median age 60.6).

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.

MeasureBowConcordFreedom
People
Population
8,335
44,375Highest
1,494Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%
NH: +4.6%
+3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+13.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.5±2
4% below NH
40.7±1.3Lowest
6% below NH
60.6±3.2Highest
40% above NH
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
17.2%±1.3
NH: 18.2%
12.9%±5.4Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Lowest
NH: 20.1%
18.7%±1.5
NH: 20.1%
40.3%±4.7Highest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
NH: 40.6%
42.3%
NH: 40.6%
39.4%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
NH: 6%
6%±0.8Highest
NH: 6%
1.3%±1.5Lowest
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
$84,902±$5k
14% below NH
$66,136±$14kLowest
33% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
26% above NH
$350,900±$13kLowest
13% below NH
$389,000±$43k
3% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Highest
3% above NH
$1,441±$43Lowest
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
$7,227
8% above NH
$3,478Lowest
48% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.1%±5.2
NH: 48.2%
79.6%±75Highest
NH: 48.2%
Freedom and Concord 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%
8.9%
NH: 7.2%
15%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
NH: 72.8%
56.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
91%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
6 yrs newer than NH
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1983
4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the NH average
23 minLowest
14% below NH
26 min
about the NH average
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
NH: 16.8%
14.1%±1.8Lowest
NH: 16.8%
18.5%±7.6
NH: 16.8%
Bow and Freedom 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 #89 of 120 in NH —
School district Bow School District Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Freedom School District
High school in town Bow High School Concord High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
13.0Highest
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On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.