Compare towns
Bow vs Hartford vs Keene vs Concord
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 highest household income ($173k).
Hartford has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Hartford | Keene | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
10,736 |
22,939 |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
40.7±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Hartford 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 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Keene 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% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$84,902±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$350,900±$13k 5% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,441±$43 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
$7,227 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Keene 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% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Keene 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #81 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hartford School District | Keene School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Hartford High School | Keene High School | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
9.6Lowest |
12.3 |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.