Compare towns
Bow vs Pembroke vs Waitsfield
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).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Waitsfield has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,438 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Waitsfield 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. |
$89,519±$22k 11% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$371,500±$20kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
| Bow and Waitsfield 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. |
$1,218±$354 14% below U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Bow and Pembroke 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. |
$7,589 143% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pembroke and Waitsfield 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% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Waitsfield 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 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| 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 |
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.