Compare towns
Bow vs Lyndeborough vs Brookline vs Amherst
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 the shortest commute (27 min average).
Lyndeborough has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Lyndeborough | Brookline | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,616Lowest |
5,736 |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
50±3.2Highest 15% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Lyndeborough and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
22.6%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyndeborough and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
40.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 |
$116,964±$17kLowest 18% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline 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 |
$390,900±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Brookline and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Brookline and Bow 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 |
$7,133Lowest 7% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyndeborough and Bow 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brookline 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | Brookline School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.