Compare towns
Bow vs Proctor vs Wolcott
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%).
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Wolcott has the most renters (20.5% 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 | Proctor | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,794 |
1,507Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4Highest 9% above U.S. |
42.4±5.9Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Wolcott 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% |
22.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Proctor 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% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Proctor 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. |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$70,259±$10kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$221,300±$23k 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,029±$202Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,059±$118 25% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$3,930Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
75.7%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Wolcott 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.