Compare towns
Bow vs Concord vs Keene vs Sutton
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Keene | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
44,375Highest |
22,939 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Bow 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 |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Keene 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% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 min 14% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Keene School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Concord High School | Keene High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.0Highest |
12.3 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.