Compare towns
Pembroke vs Lee 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
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Pembroke | Lee | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438 |
4,576Lowest |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Lee and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
— | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589Lowest 14% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Pembroke and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.