Compare towns
Concord vs Keene vs Nashua 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
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
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 | Keene | Nashua | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375 |
22,939 |
91,294Highest |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
40±1.3 8% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
| 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%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±1.2 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.9%±1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene 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% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5%±0.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$96,326±$5k about the NH average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$403,900±$11k about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,737±$41Highest 16% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Nashua 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 |
$6,812 about the NH average |
$6,799Lowest about the NH average |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
45.8%±4.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Nashua and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.8% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
17.4%±1.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Nashua 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #67 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Keene School District | Nashua School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Keene High School | Nashua High School South | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.3Lowest |
12.8 |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.