Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover vs Hollis
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 affordable homes ($507k median).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Hollis has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Hollis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
8,479 |
8,603Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
49.4±5Highest 14% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Hollis 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hollis 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% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,281±$26kLowest 55% above NH |
$168,883±$22k 71% above NH |
| Bow and Hollis 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 |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$675,900±$48k 68% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,598±$302 7% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
29%±6.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hollis and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #8 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Hollis-Brookline High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.