Compare towns

Bow vs Royalton vs Wilder vs Brookline

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).
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).

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.

MeasureBowRoyaltonWilderBrookline
People
Population
8,335Highest
2,752Lowest
3,087
5,736
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+81.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+13%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
43.9±10.1
13% above U.S.
45.5±8.9Highest
17% above U.S.
41.2±1.5Lowest
6% above U.S.
Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
14.4%±5.8
U.S.: 22%
11.8%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
26.7%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Brookline and Bow 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%
22.1%±6.4
U.S.: 17.2%
27.3%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
11.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Wilder and Royalton 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%
42.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
60.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
57.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
8%±4.2
U.S.: 6.4%
8.1%±3.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±3.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Wilder and Royalton 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.
$103,938±$24k
29% above U.S.
$75,143±$9kLowest
7% below U.S.
$171,046±$4k
112% above U.S.
Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$263,200±$73kLowest
21% below U.S.
$273,200±$18k
18% below U.S.
$544,400±$38kHighest
64% above U.S.
Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178
9% above U.S.
$1,040±$391Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,142±$451
19% below U.S.
$2,500±$1kHighest
77% above U.S.
Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584
207% above U.S.
$4,675Lowest
50% above U.S.
$5,505
76% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
36.7%±16.1
U.S.: 51.1%
39.9%±17.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Wilder and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
13%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
63.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
62.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
20 min
23% below U.S.
17 minLowest
37% below U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
17.8%±7.3
U.S.: 15.1%
12.6%±6.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
24.7%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline 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 #48 of 70 in VT — #23 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District White River Unified School District #79 — Brookline School District
High school in town Bow High School White River Valley High School — None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
8.7Lowest
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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.