Compare towns
Bow vs Strafford vs Vershire
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k 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 | Strafford | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,372 |
842Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.7±9.3 17% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Vershire 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% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Vershire and Strafford 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% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Vershire 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. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$71,618±$12kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$209,100±$55kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,117±$80Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Bow and Strafford 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. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$4,640Lowest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.8%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Vershire and Strafford 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Strafford 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Strafford 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 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.