What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Conway has the most affordable homes ($314k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Conway
People
Population	8,335Lowest	10,141Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH	55±4.1Highest 27% above NH
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%	12.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	35.1%±5.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%Highest NH: 40.6%	37.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	5%±3Lowest NH: 6%
	Bow and Conway 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	$64,385±$8kLowest 35% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH	$314,000±$43kLowest 22% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH	$1,095±$141Lowest 27% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 44% above NH	$4,087Lowest 39% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	47.3%±13.9Highest NH: 48.2%
	Conway 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%	8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	71.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	21 minLowest 23% below NH
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	13.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Bow and Conway 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	#76 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Conway School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Kennett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.