Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Durham
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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Windham | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,038Highest |
10,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Bow and Windham 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest 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%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above 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 |
$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Lowest 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Windham 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest 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 | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.8 |
— |
| 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.