Compare towns
Bow vs Rockingham vs Walpole
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%).
Rockingham has the most affordable homes ($211k median).
Walpole has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
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 | Rockingham | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,807 |
3,690Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.4±2.6 19% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Rockingham 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% |
19.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockingham and Walpole 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% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rockingham 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. |
$70,857±$16kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$210,900±$14kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,062±$101Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,887Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Rockingham 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% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Rockingham 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 | #65 of 70 in VT | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Rockingham School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.