Compare towns
Bow vs Henniker vs Milford
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 highest household income ($173k).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
6,197Lowest |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Henniker 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 NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
| Milford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Milford and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Milford 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Henniker School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.