Compare towns
Reading vs Bow vs Middletown Springs
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Middletown Springs has the most affordable homes ($262k 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 | Reading | Bow | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
8,335Highest |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
| Reading and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$82,000±$12kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$262,200±$24kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,208±$438 15% below U.S. |
| Bow and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,595Lowest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Bow School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| 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.