Compare towns

Bow vs Kingston vs Brookline vs Concord

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).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k 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.

MeasureBowKingstonBrooklineConcord
People
Population
8,335
6,275
5,736Lowest
44,375Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%
NH: +4.6%
+2.9%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+13%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+3%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
41.5±2
4% below NH
55.5±5.7Highest
28% above NH
41.2±1.5
5% below NH
40.7±1.3Lowest
6% below NH
Kids under 18
25%±3.6
NH: 18.2%
13.5%±3.9Lowest
NH: 18.2%
26.7%±4Highest
NH: 18.2%
17.2%±1.3
NH: 18.2%
Brookline and Bow 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%
24.7%±6Highest
NH: 20.1%
11.4%±2.1Lowest
NH: 20.1%
18.7%±1.5
NH: 20.1%
Kingston and Concord 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%
35.1%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
57.7%
NH: 40.6%
42.3%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
NH: 6%
3.6%±2.1Lowest
NH: 6%
6.3%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
6%±0.8
NH: 6%
Brookline and Concord 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
$105,330±$12k
6% above NH
$171,046±$4k
73% above NH
$84,902±$5kLowest
14% below NH
Bow and Brookline 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
$492,900±$58k
22% above NH
$544,400±$38kHighest
35% above NH
$350,900±$13kLowest
13% below NH
Brookline 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
$1,393±$156Lowest
7% below NH
$2,500±$1kHighest
68% above NH
$1,441±$43
3% below NH
Brookline 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
$7,906
19% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$7,227Lowest
8% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
NH: 48.2%
46.9%±46.4Highest
NH: 48.2%
23.8%±43.5Lowest
NH: 48.2%
44.1%±5.2
NH: 48.2%
Kingston and Concord 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%
2.1%
NH: 7.2%
0.6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
NH: 72.8%
74.4%
NH: 72.8%
95.1%Highest
NH: 72.8%
56.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
6 yrs newer than NH
1982
3 yrs newer than NH
1993Highest
14 yrs newer than NH
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the NH average
34 minHighest
27% above NH
33 min
25% above NH
23 minLowest
14% below NH
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
NH: 16.8%
15.7%±4.3
NH: 16.8%
24.7%±5.8Highest
NH: 16.8%
14.1%±1.8Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Brookline 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 #78 of 120 in NH #23 of 120 in NH #89 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Sanborn Regional School District Brookline School District Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District
High school in town Bow High School Sanborn Regional High School None in town Concord High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
12.9
—
13.0Highest
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.