Compare towns
Bow vs Pembroke vs Worcester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Pembroke | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,438 |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester 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% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest 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% |
19.5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Worcester 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester 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. |
$89,519±$22k 11% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$371,500±$20k 12% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,218±$354 14% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% 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. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pembroke and Bow 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Pembroke School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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.