Compare towns
Bow vs St. Albans vs White River Junction
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).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | St. Albans | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
6,954 |
3,364Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Bow and St. Albans 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% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and St. Albans 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and St. Albans 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. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
| Bow and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,651 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and White River Junction 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and White River Junction 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.