What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Goffstown
People
Population	8,335Lowest	18,513Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Highest 4% below NH	41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH
	Bow and Goffstown 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%	16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Goffstown 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%	42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6%	14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH	$113,958±$12kLowest 15% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH	$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH	$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH
	Bow and Goffstown 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	$6,941Lowest 4% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2%
	Goffstown 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%	6.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the NH average	28 minHighest 4% above NH
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#35 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Goffstown School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Goffstown High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.