Compare towns
Bow vs Hooksett vs Pembroke vs Amherst
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).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Pembroke | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,057Highest |
7,438Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Pembroke 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%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke 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%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst 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% NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 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 |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pembroke 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% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #85 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hooksett School District | Pembroke School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Pembroke Academy | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | 13.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.