Compare towns
Bow vs Orange vs Walden
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%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Walden has the most homeowners (93.8%).
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 | Orange | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
957Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Orange and Walden 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% |
15.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walden and Orange 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% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Walden 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. |
$71,302±$13kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,330±$153 6% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Bow and Orange 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. |
$3,545Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Walden 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 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.