Compare towns
Bow vs Pelham vs Rye
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 highest household income ($173k).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
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 | Pelham | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
14,449Highest |
5,611Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Pelham 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 75% above NH |
$135,956±$19kLowest 37% above NH |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
| Bow and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
| Rye 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 |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Rye 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
6.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
85.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
29 min 8% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Rye and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Pelham School District | Rye School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Pelham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| 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.