Compare towns
Holderness vs Windham vs Bow vs Madbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
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 | Holderness | Windham | Bow | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
16,038Highest |
8,335 |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385 39% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | Windham School District | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.