Compare towns
Concord vs Bennington 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
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($267k 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.
| Measure | Concord | Bennington | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
1,588Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
42.1±7.8Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Bennington and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
$83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 8% above NH |
$5,944Lowest 11% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Bennington 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.