Compare towns
Bow vs Ossipee vs Wakefield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Ossipee has the most renters (18% rent).
Wakefield has the most homeowners (96.8%).
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 | Ossipee | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,521Lowest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
50±4.6Highest 15% above NH |
49.4±4.1 14% above NH |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Ossipee 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% |
26.3%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±4.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Ossipee and Wakefield 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 NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
26.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Ossipee 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 |
$90,521±$22kLowest 9% below NH |
$100,976±$11k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$325,500±$23k 19% below NH |
$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH |
| Ossipee and Bow 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 |
$4,401 34% below NH |
$2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 min 25% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.1%±9.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Wakefield 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.