Compare towns
Durham vs Bow vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Bow | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
8,335Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Bow School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.