What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).

Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Portsmouth
People
Population	8,335Lowest	22,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH	42.9±2Highest about the NH average
	Portsmouth and Bow 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%	14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1%
	Portsmouth 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%Lowest NH: 40.6%	64%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
	Bow and Portsmouth 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	$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH	$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH	$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 44% above NH	$8,018Lowest 20% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Portsmouth 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 NH: 7.2%	6.8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	22 minLowest 17% below NH
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	21.9%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Bow and Portsmouth 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	#11 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Portsmouth School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Portsmouth High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.