Compare towns
Bow vs Northfield vs Suncook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% 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.
| Measure | Bow | Northfield | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
5,920 |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
37.9±8.1 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Northfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$79,836±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$361,100±$22k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,091±$317 23% below U.S. |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Suncook 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Northfield Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.