Compare towns
Bow vs Mapleton vs Amherst
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Mapleton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,884Lowest |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Mapleton 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 114% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Amherst 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst 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 | — | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.