Compare towns
Rye vs Bow vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Rye | Bow | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,611Lowest |
8,335 |
14,449Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 | $140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$135,956±$19kLowest 37% above NH |
| Bow and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
| Rye and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Rye and Pelham 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rye School District | Bow School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.