Compare towns
Bow vs Nashua vs Somersworth
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).
Somersworth has the most affordable homes ($318k 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 | Somersworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
91,294Highest |
12,111 |
| 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±2Highest 4% below NH |
40±1.3 8% below NH |
38.4±2.7Lowest 11% 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% |
19.9%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Somersworth 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% |
16.9%±1 NH: 20.1% |
14%±3Lowest 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% NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6 NH: 6% |
4.9%±2Lowest 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 |
$74,504±$13kLowest 25% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$403,900±$11k about the NH average |
$318,400±$23kLowest 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH |
$1,477±$134Lowest about the NH average |
| 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 |
$6,805 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2 NH: 48.2% |
56.3%±14.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Somersworth and Nashua 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% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
57.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.5Lowest 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 | #117 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Nashua School District | Somersworth School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Nashua High School South | Somersworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
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.