Compare towns
Kensington vs Bow vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kensington has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Kensington | Bow | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,009Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,640 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kensington and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,083±$18k 104% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12kLowest 74% above U.S. |
| Bow and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,637 209% above U.S. |
$9,584Lowest 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Norwich 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 | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Kensington School District | Bow School District | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.