Compare towns
Bow vs Hooksett vs Walpole vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Walpole | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
15,057Highest |
3,690 |
2,999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Walpole 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% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| 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 207% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Westminster 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% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bow School District | Hooksett School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.