Compare towns
Bow vs Pembroke vs Canterbury
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%).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Canterbury has the oldest population (median age 48.6).
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 | Pembroke | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,438 |
2,353Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
48.6±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Canterbury and Pembroke 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% |
24%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke 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% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.9%±3.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Canterbury and Bow 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% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
49.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.8%±3Highest NH: 6% |
| Canterbury 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 |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$129,333±$37k 31% above NH |
| Bow and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$443,700±$21k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$2,136±$233Highest 43% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$7,421Lowest 11% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Canterbury and Pembroke 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% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.6%±7.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Canterbury 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Pembroke School District | Shaker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Pembroke Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.