Compare towns
Bow vs Lyme vs Wolfeboro
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 people working from home (27.2%).
Wolfeboro has the oldest population (median age 57).
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 | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,710Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Lyme 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%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Lyme 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±$15k 35% above NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$546,500±$60k 36% above NH |
| Lyme and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
| Bow and Lyme 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Bow 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% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Wolfeboro 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 | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Lyme School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.