Compare towns
Bow vs Deerfield vs Northwood
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).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Northwood has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Deerfield | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,932 |
4,688Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.8±4.2Highest about the NH average |
42.4±7.8 about the NH average |
| Deerfield and Northwood 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% |
20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
18%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Deerfield 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% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood and Bow 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% |
47.3% NH: 40.6% |
38.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Northwood 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 |
$131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
$129,375±$23kLowest 31% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$421,000±$33k 5% above NH |
$363,000±$13kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,593±$318Highest 7% above NH |
$1,201±$372Lowest 19% below NH |
| Deerfield 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 |
$7,369 11% above NH |
$5,806Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Northwood 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% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
7.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
89% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
34 min 28% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Deerfield School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.