Compare towns
Bow vs Hooksett vs Westfield
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k 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 | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
15,057 |
40,378Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Hooksett 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% |
18.1%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westfield 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% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westfield and Hooksett 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. |
$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% 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. |
$4,746Lowest 52% 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% |
46.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Hooksett School District | Westfield |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.