What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Sunapee
People
Population	8,335Highest	3,416Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%Highest NH: 40.6%	50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	4.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 6%
	Bow and Sunapee 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	$101,393±$20kLowest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH	$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH	$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH
	Sunapee 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	$4,400Lowest 34% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2%	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Bow and Sunapee 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%	12.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the NH average	33 minHighest 23% above NH
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#14 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Sunapee School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Sunapee Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.