Compare towns
Bow vs Wakefield vs Concord
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 the highest household income ($173k).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k 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 | Wakefield | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
27,793 |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
40.7±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Concord 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% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Concord and Bow 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. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$84,902±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$7,227Lowest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Concord and Wakefield 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.