Compare towns
Bow vs Cornish vs Tuftonboro
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%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Tuftonboro has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
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 | Tuftonboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,816Lowest |
2,569 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
51.9±7.5 20% above NH |
| Cornish and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Tuftonboro 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% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
27.8%±6.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Tuftonboro and Cornish 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% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
37.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$100,574±$16k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$462,300±$46k 15% above NH |
| Bow and Tuftonboro 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 |
$1,311±$358 12% below NH |
| Bow and Tuftonboro 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 |
$5,796 13% below NH |
$3,004Lowest 55% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
6.5%±28.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.3%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Tuftonboro 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Cornish School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.