Compare towns
Bow vs Wolfeboro vs Jackson
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 kids (25% under 18).
Wolfeboro has the most renters (21.9% rent).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+26%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
6,571 |
897Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+26%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
57±1.8 32% above NH |
60.5±2.5Highest 40% above NH |
| Jackson and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
4.1%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±6.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Jackson 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% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
67.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3%±3.4 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
$117,986±$46k 19% above NH |
| Bow and Jackson 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 |
$546,500±$60k 36% above NH |
$719,300±$109kHighest 79% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,750±$1kHighest 17% above NH |
| Jackson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$6,001 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
21.1%±59.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
16.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 11% below NH |
19 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±10.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Jackson School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.