Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Sutton vs Windham
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Sutton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,080 |
2,239Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bow 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton 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% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,652Lowest 15% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Windham 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Oyster River High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3 |
10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.