Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Beach vs Hampton vs Rye
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 kids (25% under 18).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Hampton Beach | Hampton | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,605Lowest |
10,101Highest |
5,611 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
51.2±1.7 18% above NH |
55.1±3 27% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Rye 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% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.9%±3.1 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Rye 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% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.2% NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hampton 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 |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$97,163±$4k about the NH average |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
| Bow and Rye 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 |
$508,900±$76k 26% above NH |
$545,300±$63k 35% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,654±$93 11% above NH |
$1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
| Rye and Hampton 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 |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$6,872 3% above NH |
$7,519 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±13.1 NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton 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% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
6.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.5% NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1972 7 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
29 minHighest 8% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1 NH: 16.8% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Rye and Hampton Beach 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 | — | #31 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | — | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.