Compare towns
Concord vs Salem 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 affordable homes ($351k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,375 |
44,795Highest |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 5% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest 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%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest 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% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 132% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Salem | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Salem High | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
9.8Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.