Compare towns
Bristol vs Bow vs Troy
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.2%).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Troy has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Bristol | Bow | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,098 |
8,335Highest |
2,005Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.5±4.7Lowest 11% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
40.2±5 7% below NH |
| Bow and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
21.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±4.7 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.6%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,993±$24kLowest 25% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$88,871±$14k 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,400±$27kLowest 41% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$266,600±$39k 34% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,279±$120 14% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,024±$331Lowest 31% below NH |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,686Lowest 45% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,229 22% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±14.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.1%±27.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
77.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #79 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Monadnock Regional 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 History | 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.