Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs North Westminster
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
North Westminster has the most affordable homes ($172k 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 | North Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,080Highest |
125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
59.5±9.3Highest 53% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
0%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
44%±40.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Westminster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%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% |
0%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kLowest 54% above U.S. |
— |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$171,500±$128kLowest 48% below 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±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$2,938Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Durham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
— |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
37.3%±23.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Westminster 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 | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.