Compare towns
Bow vs Salisbury vs Brookline
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Salisbury | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,609Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
51.5±4.5Highest 19% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookline 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 75% above NH |
$111,591±$17kLowest 13% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
| 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 26% above NH |
$363,400±$47kLowest 10% below NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
| 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±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,917±$632 29% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$5,859Lowest 12% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Brookline 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% |
7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
32 min 20% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Salisbury 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Brookline 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 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.