Compare towns
Bow vs Hooksett vs Bristol
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Hooksett | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,057Highest |
3,273Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.7±5.7Highest about the NH average |
| Bristol 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 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bristol 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% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
35.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Bow 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 |
$117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,310±$97Lowest 12% below NH |
| Hooksett 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 |
$6,554 about the NH average |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol and Hooksett 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% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hooksett School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.