Compare towns
Pelham vs Windham vs Bow vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Dracut has the most renters (20.2% 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 | Pelham | Windham | Bow | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449 |
16,038 |
8,335Lowest |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham School District | Windham School District | Bow School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Windham High School | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
12.8 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.