What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has the most expensive homes ($1210k median).

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Concord	Bow
People
Population	18,223Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.6±2Highest 22% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	79.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$195,350±$22kHighest 142% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S.
	Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,210,000±$72kHighest 264% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,631±$166Highest 86% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$9,584Lowest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.2%±10.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 23% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	36.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#10 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Concord · Concord-Carlisle	Bow School District
High school in town	Concord Carlisle High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.