Compare towns
Bow vs Sandown vs South Hooksett
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 highest household income ($173k).
Sandown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
South Hooksett has the youngest population (median age 35.2).
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 | Sandown | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
6,628 |
5,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
40.8±3.7 6% below NH |
35.2±3.6Lowest 19% below NH |
| Bow and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±6.5 NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.2%±4 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Sandown 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 NH: 40.6% |
34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$135,040±$25k 36% above NH |
$130,000±$15kLowest 31% above NH |
| Bow and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$483,400±$44k 20% above NH |
$433,200±$40kLowest 8% above NH |
| Bow and Sandown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,893±$721Highest 27% above NH |
$1,471±$217Lowest about the NH average |
| Sandown and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,801 32% above NH |
$6,801Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
64.1%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Sandown 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 NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±13.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Sandown 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 | #71 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Timberlane Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | 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.