Compare towns
Bow vs Eliot vs Windham 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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Eliot | Windham | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
7,146 |
16,038Highest |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
37.9±8.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$79,836±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,091±$317Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Windham 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Windham School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.