Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Falls vs Pelham
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).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,328Lowest |
14,449Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
| Hampton Falls and Bow 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%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pelham 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% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
54.5% NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Pelham 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 |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
$135,956±$19kLowest 37% above 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±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$772,600±$76kHighest 92% above NH |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,852±$475Highest 24% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% 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 |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hampton Falls School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.