Compare towns
Franconia vs Bow vs Sugar Hill
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 the most kids (25% under 18).
Sugar Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.9%).
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 | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,060 |
8,335Highest |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±7 28% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
60.8±2.1Highest 40% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 36.6%±6.7 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2%±3.1Lowest 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 |
$154,091±$32k 56% above NH |
| Bow and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$639,700±$50kHighest 59% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$278 14% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,208±$630Lowest 19% below 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 |
$7,340Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Sugar Hill 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% NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Sugar Hill 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.