Compare towns
Bow vs Madison vs Sutton
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Madison has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Madison | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,680 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
50.3±9.7Highest 16% above NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
| Madison and Sutton 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% |
23.1%±6.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Madison 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% |
23.1%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Madison and Sutton 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% |
37.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Sutton 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 |
$102,697±$11kLowest 4% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$388,700±$36k 3% below NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,556±$256 4% above NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Madison 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 |
$4,074Lowest 39% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
69.2%±46Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Madison 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.4% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Sutton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Madison School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Kearsarge Regional 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 |
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.