Compare towns
Bow vs Waitsfield vs Hanover
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%).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Waitsfield | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,918Lowest |
8,479Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Waitsfield 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% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Waitsfield 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% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26k 90% above U.S. |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Waitsfield 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% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Bow 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| 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.