What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Goffstown	Bow
People
Population	18,513Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH	41.5±2Highest 4% below NH
	Bow and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2%	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Goffstown and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	60.3%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kLowest 15% above NH	$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH	$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH
	Bow and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Lowest 4% above NH	$9,584Highest 44% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2%	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Goffstown and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest NH: 7.2%	2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above NH	27 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 120 in NH	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Goffstown School District	Bow School District
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.