Compare towns
Bow vs Walpole vs Winchester
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Walpole has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Walpole | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,690Lowest |
4,212 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
46.5±10.4Highest 7% above NH |
42.6±4.5 about the NH average |
| Walpole and Winchester 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% |
22.2%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±4.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.9%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Walpole and Winchester 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% |
32.9% NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Walpole 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 |
$82,617±$16k 17% below NH |
$67,723±$11kLowest 32% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$319,800±$48k 21% below NH |
$242,900±$20kLowest 40% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,209±$143 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,078 9% below NH |
$5,314Lowest 20% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
45%±17.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Walpole and Winchester 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% |
11.7% NH: 7.2% |
14.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
72.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
4.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #27 of 120 in NH | #120 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Winchester School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
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| 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.