Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Eliot vs Suncook
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 highest household income ($173k).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Eliot | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,080Highest |
7,146 |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
37.9±8.1 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Suncook 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$79,836±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| 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±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,091±$317Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Durham 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Oyster River High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.