Compare towns
Brookline vs Lancaster 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%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 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 | Brookline | Lancaster | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% |
50.3%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%±1.8Lowest 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. |
$134,833±$27kLowest 67% 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. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lancaster 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. |
$2,338±$539 65% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lancaster 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. |
$7,235Lowest 132% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Brookline 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Nashoba | Bow School District |
| High school 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 |
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.