Compare towns
Bow vs Hartford vs Lyme
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 most affordable homes ($305k median).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k 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 | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,736Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Hartford 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%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lyme 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% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Hartford 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. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Lyme 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. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Hartford 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% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Hartford School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.