Compare towns
Bow vs Keene vs Nottingham
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).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Nottingham has the most homeowners (94.3%).
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 | Keene | Nottingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
22,939Highest |
5,357Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
| Bow and Nottingham 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% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Nottingham 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% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.4%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Nottingham 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% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
40.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$122,201±$20k 23% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$457,500±$26k 14% above NH |
| Bow and Nottingham 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 |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
| Nottingham 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 |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$7,319 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Nottingham 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #15 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Keene School District | Nottingham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Keene High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| 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.