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