What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).

Holbrook has the most affordable homes ($465k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Holbrook
People
Population	8,335Lowest	11,380Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	42.8±3.2Highest 10% above U.S.
	Holbrook 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%	21.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Holbrook 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%	19.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Holbrook 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Holbrook 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.	$115,210±$14kLowest 43% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$465,400±$21kLowest 40% above U.S.
	Bow and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S.
	Bow and Holbrook 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.	$6,105Lowest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	47.8%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Holbrook and Bow 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%	7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	38 minHighest 44% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#234 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Holbrook
High school in town	Bow High School	Holbrook Middle High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.