Compare towns
Brookline vs Eliot vs Bow vs Townsend
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%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Brookline | Eliot | Bow | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
7,146 |
8,335 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 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. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% 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. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% 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. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Eliot 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Townsend 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bow School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.