Compare towns
Bristol vs Bow vs Walpole
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 affordable homes ($258k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Walpole has the shortest commute (23 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 | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,273Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
46.5±10.4Highest 7% above NH |
| Walpole 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% |
22.2%±5.2Lowest 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% |
25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Walpole 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% |
32.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$82,617±$16k 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$319,800±$48k 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,310±$97 12% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,165±$150Lowest 22% 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 |
$6,078 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Walpole and Bristol 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% |
11.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #79 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Bow School District | Fall Mountain 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.