Compare towns
Hampstead vs Bow vs Litchfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampstead has the most renters (17.9% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Litchfield has the most affordable homes ($485k 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 | Hampstead | Bow | Litchfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,102Highest |
8,335Lowest |
8,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±6.1Highest 5% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
43.1±1.7 about the NH average |
| Hampstead and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,348±$18kLowest 13% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$162,036±$11k 64% above NH |
| Bow and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$485,000±$18kLowest 20% above NH |
| Hampstead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,138±$406Highest 43% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 30% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,273Lowest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
81.5%±38.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Litchfield and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
29 min 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 21%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Hampstead 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #53 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hampstead School District | Bow School District | Litchfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Campbell High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.