Compare towns
Brookline vs Ware vs Bow vs Lee
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%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Ware | Bow | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
10,048Highest |
8,335 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Ware and Lee 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 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% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 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. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% 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. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% 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. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% 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. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Ware | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.