What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Nashua
People
Population	8,335Lowest	91,294Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Highest 4% below NH	40±1.3Lowest 8% below NH
	Bow and Nashua 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%	18.6%±1.2Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1%	16.9%±1Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Bow and Nashua 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%	41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	5%±0.6Lowest NH: 6%
	Bow and Nashua 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	$96,326±$5kLowest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH	$403,900±$11kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH	$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH
	Nashua and Bow 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	$6,799Lowest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	45.8%±4.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Nashua 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%	7.8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	26 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	17.4%±1.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Bow and Nashua 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	#67 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Nashua School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Nashua High School South
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	12.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.