Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Franconia
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 affordable homes ($507k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Franconia has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Franconia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,038Highest |
1,060Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
55.6±7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.2%±5.5Lowest 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% |
36.6%±6.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Franconia 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 |
$87,292±$28kLowest 12% 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±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,281±$278Lowest 14% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,451Lowest 12% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia 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% |
11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
20 minLowest 25% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±5.1Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | Lafayette Regional 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 |
— |
| 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.