Compare towns
Bow vs Lowell vs Concord
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).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
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.
| Measure | Bow | Lowell | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
118,368Highest |
44,375 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
40.7±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and Concord 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% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Concord 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$84,902±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Lowell and Bow 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. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$7,227 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lowell and Concord 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% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #255 of 282 in MA | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lowell | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Lowell High | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
13.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.