Compare towns
Concord vs Fairfax 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
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Fairfax | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
5,226Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 5% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 5% above U.S. |
$128,963±$29k 60% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$378,200±$22k 14% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 about the U.S. average |
$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 132% above U.S. |
$5,497Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Concord and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairfax and Bow 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 | #36 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Fairfax School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
9.8Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.