Compare towns
Pelham vs Windham vs Bow vs Goffstown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
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).
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
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 | Goffstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449 |
16,038 |
8,335Lowest |
18,513Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Highest 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
41.3±3.1 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Goffstown 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$113,958±$12kLowest 15% above NH |
| 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 37% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 30% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$6,941Lowest 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 10% above NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #35 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Windham School District | Bow School District | Goffstown School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Windham High School | Bow High School | Goffstown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.