Compare towns
Bow vs Lee vs Hooksett
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).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k 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 | Lee | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
4,576Lowest |
15,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Lee and Bow 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% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee 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 NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest 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 |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$117,962±$11kLowest 19% above NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
— | $1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
| 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 |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hooksett and Bow 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% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.