Compare towns
Panton vs Bow vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Panton has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Panton | Bow | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 690 |
8,335Highest |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±3.8 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,667±$10kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $438,000±$40k 32% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$329,700±$51kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,410±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Bow and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,695 115% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,714Lowest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61%±39Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Panton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Panton 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.