Compare towns
Bow vs Pelham vs White River Junction
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 highest household income ($173k).
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% 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 | Pelham | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
14,449Highest |
3,364Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S. |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Pelham 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,222±$216Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Bow and Pelham 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. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
$5,651Lowest 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and White River Junction 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Bow 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 | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Pelham School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Pelham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.