Compare towns
Salisbury vs Bow vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Salisbury | Bow | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,609Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,591±$17k 13% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Salisbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,859 12% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | Bow School District | Cornish School District |
| 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 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.