Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Falls vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,328Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Falls and Williston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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 114% above U.S. |
$166,157±$14k 106% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$772,600±$76kHighest 132% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bow School District | Hampton Falls School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.