Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Lee vs Suncook
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Lee | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,681Highest |
4,576Lowest |
5,432 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
37.9±8.1 12% below NH |
| Lee and Bow 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee 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% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
| Bow and Durham 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 |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
— | $1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$6,975Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.