Compare towns
Bow vs Nashua vs Boscawen
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 highest household income ($173k).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
Boscawen has the most affordable homes ($287k 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 | Nashua | Boscawen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
91,294Highest |
4,044Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
40±1.3Lowest 8% below NH |
46±4.2Highest 6% above NH |
| Boscawen 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% |
18.6%±1.2 NH: 18.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Boscawen and Bow 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% NH: 40.6% |
20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest 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±$5k about the NH average |
$77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$403,900±$11k about the NH average |
$286,500±$23kLowest 29% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH |
$1,265±$307Lowest 15% below 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 |
$6,799 about the NH average |
$6,549Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.2%±21 NH: 48.2% |
| Nashua and Boscawen 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% NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±6.1Lowest 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 | #51 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Nashua School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Nashua High School South | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.8 |
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| 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.