Compare towns
Bow vs New Castle vs Lebanon
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 most kids (25% under 18).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | New Castle | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
827Lowest |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
38.9±3.1Lowest 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lebanon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$98,147±$10kLowest about the NH average |
| New Castle and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$385,400±$29kLowest 4% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,744±$132 17% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,509 28% above NH |
$8,149Lowest 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lebanon 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% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle and Lebanon 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 | — | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | New Castle School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.