Compare towns
Bow vs Concord vs Gorham
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k 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 | Concord | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
44,375Highest |
2,682Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3% NH: +4.6% |
-5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
53.9±3.6Highest 24% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3% NH: 40.6% |
20.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.7%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Gorham and Concord 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 |
$61,275±$7kLowest 38% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$161,600±$49kLowest 60% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$838±$83Lowest 44% 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 |
$4,334Lowest 35% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
41%±20.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Concord and Gorham 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
71.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 14% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8 NH: 16.8% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH | #57 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Concord High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.0Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.