Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Boscawen
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 the most people working from home (22.7%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Boscawen has the most affordable homes ($287k 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 | Windham | Boscawen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,038Highest |
4,044Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
46±4.2Highest 6% above NH |
| Boscawen and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Boscawen 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% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$286,500±$23kLowest 29% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,265±$307Lowest 15% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,549Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.2%±21 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #51 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
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.