Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Falls vs Lyme vs Orford
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 Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 Falls | Lyme | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,328 |
1,710 |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
48.9±3.3 13% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Orford 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% |
19.1%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme 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% |
25%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Orford 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% |
54.5% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Orford 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 |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
| Bow and Hampton Falls 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 |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
| Hampton Falls and Lyme 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 |
$1,852±$475Highest 24% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
| Hampton Falls and Bow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme 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% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
5.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Bow 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 | Hampton Falls School District | Lyme School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 9.5Lowest |
| 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.