Compare towns
Francestown vs Bow vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Francestown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Francestown | Bow | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±4.5Highest 18% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
| Francestown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Francestown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,063±$16kLowest 5% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,200±$34k about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,358±$256Lowest 9% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,014 20% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,652Lowest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±77Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Francestown and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 57% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
29 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Francestown 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Bow School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.