Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Allenstown vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hillsborough has the most homeowners (92.3%).
Allenstown has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Hillsborough | Allenstown | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,980 |
4,743Lowest |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
39.4±4.7Lowest 9% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
| Bow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.9%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% NH: 40.6% |
19.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
0.7%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
$72,500±$21kLowest 27% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,300±$16k 32% below NH |
$243,600±$69kLowest 39% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,281±$397 14% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
| Bow and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,815 13% below NH |
$4,098Lowest 39% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
57.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Hillsborough 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Allenstown School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.