Compare towns
Newmarket vs Lyme 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
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k 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.
| Measure | Newmarket | Lyme | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,463Highest |
1,710Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9Lowest 5% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Lyme and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22kLowest 13% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Newmarket and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734Lowest 31% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Bow 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Lyme School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 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.