Compare towns
Bow vs Douglas vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% rent).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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 | Douglas | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
9,207 |
9,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Douglas 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 114% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Bow and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Bow and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Bow and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bow School District | Douglas | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Douglas High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
7.2Lowest |
7.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.