Compare towns
Bow vs Sunapee vs Grantham
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
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 | Sunapee | Grantham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,416Lowest |
3,465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
50.4±7.5 16% above NH |
| Sunapee and Grantham 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Grantham 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 |
$106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
| Bow and Grantham 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 |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
$343,100±$39kLowest 15% below NH |
| 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 |
$7,605 14% above 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% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Grantham 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | #6 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Sunapee School District | Grantham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.