What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

Salem has the most renters (50.3% 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	Salem
People
Population	8,335Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Bow and Salem 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%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bow and Salem 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%	47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Salem 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.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
	Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem 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 U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow and Salem 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	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Salem
High school in town	Bow High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.