Compare towns
Bow vs Londonderry vs Salem
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Londonderry has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% 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 | Londonderry | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
26,685 |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.7±0.9 about the NH average |
44.6±2.7Highest 3% above NH |
| Salem and Londonderry 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% |
20.6%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Londonderry 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% |
16.4%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Salem 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% |
47.6% NH: 40.6% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±1 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Londonderry 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 |
$132,556±$14k 34% above NH |
$110,490±$9kLowest 12% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$505,200±$20k 26% above NH |
$473,300±$16kLowest 18% above NH |
| Bow and Londonderry 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 |
$1,803±$154Highest 21% above NH |
$1,625±$146 9% above NH |
| Londonderry and Salem 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 |
$8,069 21% above NH |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±7.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Londonderry and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
85.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
29 min 7% above NH |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Londonderry 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 | #37 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Londonderry School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Londonderry Senior High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.0 |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.