Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Suncook vs Pembroke
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%).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Pembroke has the oldest population (median age 41.9).
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 | Suncook | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,038Highest |
5,432Lowest |
7,438 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
| Pembroke 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% |
19.8%±4.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6 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%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Suncook 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% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
32.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6 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 |
$79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% 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 |
$361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,218±$354 18% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,975Lowest 5% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Pembroke 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% |
12.9% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1951Lowest 28 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 |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 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 | — | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | — | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | — | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.