Compare towns
Bow vs Nelson 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 highest household income ($173k).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Stoddard has the oldest population (median age 53).
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 | Nelson | Stoddard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
648Lowest |
1,072 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
53±4Highest 22% above NH |
| Stoddard and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Bow 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% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson 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% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$94,904±$11kLowest 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
$330,300±$20kLowest 18% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,203±$243 19% below NH |
$895±$751Lowest 40% below NH |
| Bow and Nelson 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 |
$5,575 16% below NH |
$4,316Lowest 35% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
52.6%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stoddard and Nelson 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
93.3%Highest 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 |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Nelson 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.