Compare towns
Concord vs Bow vs Strafford
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).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 46.3).
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 | Bow | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
8,335 |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
46.3±2.1Highest 7% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Strafford and Concord 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% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest 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±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
| Strafford and Bow 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 |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Concord 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% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Strafford 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 | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Bow School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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| 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.