Compare towns
Bow vs Marlow vs Stoddard
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%).
Marlow has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Marlow | Stoddard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
855Lowest |
1,072 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+0.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
52.8±11.7 22% above NH |
53±4Highest 22% above NH |
| Stoddard and Marlow 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% |
20.5%±6.3 NH: 18.2% |
17.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Marlow 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% |
30.5%±5.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Marlow and Stoddard 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% |
33.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Stoddard 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 |
$110,455±$12k 12% above NH |
$94,904±$11kLowest 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$325,400±$49kLowest 19% below NH |
$330,300±$20k 18% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,154±$160 23% below NH |
$895±$751Lowest 40% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,826 13% below NH |
$4,316Lowest 35% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
18.2%±95.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.6%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stoddard 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% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Marlow School District | Stoddard School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.