Compare towns
Bow vs Norwich vs Lyme vs Brookline
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 the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Norwich has the most renters (28.1% rent).
Lyme has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Norwich | Lyme | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,640 |
1,710Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Brookline 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | — | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Norwich School District | Lyme School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | 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 | 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.