Compare towns
Bow vs Suncook vs Waterford
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%).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Waterford has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Suncook | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
5,432 |
1,279Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
37.9±8.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±5.3Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Waterford and Bow 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% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Suncook 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% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waterford 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% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Suncook 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. |
$79,836±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$109,375±$19k 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22k 9% above U.S. |
$271,500±$22kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,091±$317Lowest 23% below U.S. |
— |
| Bow and Suncook 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. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
$4,238Lowest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Suncook and Bow 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% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
99%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.3%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Suncook 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 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.