Compare towns
Bow vs Lyme vs Litchfield
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%).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Litchfield has the most affordable homes ($485k 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 | Lyme | Litchfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,710Lowest |
8,499Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
43.1±1.7 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Litchfield 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% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Litchfield 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Litchfield 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 |
$133,906±$15kLowest 35% above NH |
$162,036±$11k 64% above NH |
| Bow and Litchfield 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 |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$485,000±$18kLowest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$2,138±$406Highest 43% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,273Lowest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
81.5%±38.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Litchfield and Lyme 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% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #53 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lyme School District | Litchfield School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Campbell High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.