Compare towns
Bow vs Cornish vs Pelham
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).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Cornish | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,816Lowest |
14,449Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Pelham 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 |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
| Bow and Pelham 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 |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Cornish 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham and Bow 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Cornish School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.