What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k 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	Lancaster	Bow
People
Population	3,216Lowest	8,335Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.5±6.9Highest 5% above NH	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH
	Lancaster and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Bow and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1%	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	60.3%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6%	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%
	Bow and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH	$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH	$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,226Lowest 37% below NH	$9,584Highest 44% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.1%±17Lowest NH: 48.2%	39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Bow and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.7%Highest NH: 7.2%	2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH	1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 14% below NH	27 minHighest about the NH average
Work from home	11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#107 of 120 in NH	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	White Mountains Regional School District	Bow School District
High school in town	None in town	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
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.