Compare towns
Bow vs Hardwick vs Walden
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Walden has the most homeowners (93.8%).
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 | Hardwick | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,965 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick 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% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Walden 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% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Walden 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. |
$92,297±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Hardwick 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% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Walden 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 | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.