Compare towns
Bow vs Windsor vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
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 | Windsor | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,554 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,209Lowest 67% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Bow 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.