Compare towns
Bow vs Stoneham vs Pembroke
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).
Stoneham has the most expensive homes ($672k median).
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($372k median).
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 | Stoneham | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
23,355Highest |
7,438Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Highest 8% above U.S. |
41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Pembroke 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% |
20.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stoneham and Bow 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% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Stoneham 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. |
$113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$371,500±$20kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,218±$354Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,523Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$7,589 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pembroke and Stoneham 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% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stoneham 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 | #117 of 282 in MA | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Stoneham | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Stoneham High | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.