What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Swanzey has the most affordable homes ($259k 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.

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

Measure	Bow	Swanzey
People
Population	8,335Highest	7,398Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH	50±3.1Highest 15% above NH
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%	18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1%
	Swanzey 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 NH: 40.6%	30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6%
	Bow and Swanzey 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	$81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH	$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH	$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average
	Bow and Swanzey 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	$5,558Lowest 17% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Swanzey 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 NH: 7.2%	7.8%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	24 minLowest 9% below NH
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#102 of 120 in NH
School district	Bow School District	Monadnock Regional School District
High school in town	Bow High School	Monadnock Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	12.8
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.