Compare towns
Bow vs Lisbon vs Pembroke
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).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
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 | Lisbon | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
9,750Highest |
7,438Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
38.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.9±3.3Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Pembroke 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke 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% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Lisbon 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. |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$89,519±$22k 11% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$258,300±$26kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$371,500±$20k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$979±$286Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,218±$354 14% below U.S. |
| Bow and Pembroke 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. |
$3,324Lowest 7% above U.S. |
$7,589 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pembroke and Lisbon 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% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±9.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lisbon Public Schools | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Lisbon High School | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
15.8Highest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.