Compare towns
Bow vs Merrimack vs Weare
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%).
Merrimack has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k 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 | Merrimack | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
28,164Highest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.5% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
| Weare and Bow 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% |
22%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Merrimack 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% |
50.2% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Merrimack 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 |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
$118,271±$17kLowest 19% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,932±$147Highest 30% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,345 10% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare 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 | #58 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Merrimack School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Merrimack High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.5 |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.