Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Hampstead
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Hampstead has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,038Highest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
| Hampstead 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% |
21.3%±3.7Lowest 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% |
21.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead 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% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hampstead 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 |
$112,348±$18kLowest 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±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Hampstead 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% |
3.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Lowest 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 | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | Hampstead 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.