Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Portsmouth vs Concord
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%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k 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 | Portsmouth | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,038 |
22,545 |
44,375Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
| Portsmouth 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% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Concord 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% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Concord and Bow 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 |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$84,902±$5kLowest 14% 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 |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Portsmouth 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% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
23 min 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | Portsmouth School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | Portsmouth High School | Concord High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.8 |
11.4Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.