Compare towns
Bristol vs Bow vs Lancaster
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 the most renters (30.3% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k 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 | Bristol | Bow | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,273 |
8,335Highest |
3,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.5±6.9Highest 5% above NH |
| Lancaster and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lancaster and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest 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 | $78,438±$10k 21% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$63k 36% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,310±$97 12% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% 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 | $4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,226 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±14.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #79 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Bow School District | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Newfound Regional High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.