Compare towns
Bow vs Epping vs Brookline 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).
Epping has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
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 | Epping | Brookline | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,430 |
5,736 |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
| Epping and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Epping 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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 |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
| Brookline and Epping 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 |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,975 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 min 21% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Epping School District | Brookline School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Epping High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.