Compare towns
Brookline vs Henniker vs Hopkinton vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Hopkinton has the oldest population (median age 45).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Hopkinton | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
6,197 |
6,037 |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
45±2.8Highest 4% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Hopkinton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.8%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
19.9%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Hopkinton 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% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
58.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
7.9%±4.4 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$137,477±$21k 39% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| 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 35% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$506,900±$54k 26% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Brookline and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,270±$129 15% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| 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 50% above NH |
$8,877Lowest 33% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
42.4%±6 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Henniker and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.5% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.8%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Hopkinton 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #28 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Henniker School District | Hopkinton School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hopkinton High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.