Compare towns
Brookline vs Deerfield vs Hartford 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 the most people working from home (24.7%).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Deerfield | Hartford | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
4,932Lowest |
10,736Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.8±4.2 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Deerfield 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% |
20.9%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Lowest 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% |
17.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Bow 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% |
47.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 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. |
$131,563±$10k 63% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below 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. |
$421,000±$33k 27% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below 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. |
$1,593±$318 13% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Deerfield 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. |
$7,369 136% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Bow 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% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #61 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Deerfield School District | Hartford School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hartford High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.