Compare towns
Bow vs Franconia vs South Hampton
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%).
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
South Hampton has the most expensive homes ($661k 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 | Franconia | South Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,060 |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
55.6±7Highest 28% above NH |
45.1±5.3 4% above NH |
| Franconia and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.2%±5.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and South Hampton 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% |
36.6%±6.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.9% NH: 40.6% |
52.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Franconia 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 |
$87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$152,500±$44k 54% above NH |
| Bow and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
| South Hampton and Franconia 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 |
$1,281±$278Lowest 14% below NH |
$1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
| South Hampton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,451Lowest 12% above NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
83.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 25% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and South Hampton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Lafayette Regional School District | South Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.