Compare towns
Brookline vs Cornwall vs Strafford vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Cornwall has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($431k median).
Bow has the most renters (12.5% rent).
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 | Brookline | Cornwall | Strafford | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
1,208Lowest |
1,372 |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,726Lowest 116% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Cornwall 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | — | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.