Compare towns
Bow vs Rye vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Rye | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,611Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham 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 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.5% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$140,655±$39kLowest 42% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$723,300±$50k 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
6.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
85.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
29 min 8% above NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Rye School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.