What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).

Hollis has the most expensive homes ($676k 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	Hollis
People
Population	8,335Lowest	8,603Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+8.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH	49.4±5Highest 14% above NH
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%	21%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Bow and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	23.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1%
	Hollis 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 NH: 40.6%	57.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	3.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 6%
	Bow and Hollis 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 75% above NH	$168,883±$22kLowest 71% above NH
	Bow and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH	$675,900±$48kHighest 68% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH	$1,598±$302Highest 7% above NH
	Hollis and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Lowest 44% above NH	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2%	31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Bow and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Highest NH: 7.2%	1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%	91.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1979Lowest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the NH average	27 minHighest about the NH average
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8%	29%±6.4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Hollis 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	#8 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Hollis-Brookline High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.