Compare towns
Franconia vs Bow vs Newbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Newbury has the most affordable homes ($463k 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 | Franconia | Bow | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,060Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±7Highest 28% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
53.3±3.6 23% above NH |
| Franconia and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±5.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 36.6%±6.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.6%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
53%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$116,477±$18k 18% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $530,300±$96kHighest 32% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$463,400±$36kLowest 15% above NH |
| Franconia and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$278Lowest 14% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
— |
| Bow and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,451 12% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,695Lowest 15% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±24.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.1%±7.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Newbury 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 | Lafayette Regional School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.