Compare towns
Suncook vs Pittsfield vs Bow vs Henniker
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Suncook | Pittsfield | Bow | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,432 |
4,105Lowest |
8,335Highest |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% NH: +4.6% |
-0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±8.1 12% below NH |
41.5±5.1Highest 4% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±3.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Pittsfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4% NH: 40.6% |
22.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.1 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,836±$25k 19% below NH |
$74,318±$14kLowest 25% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,100±$22k 10% below NH |
$294,800±$30kLowest 27% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$317 27% below NH |
$1,239±$182 17% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
| Bow and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,975 5% above NH |
$5,694Lowest 15% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
67.5%±27.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Pittsfield and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
68.8% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
11.6%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Suncook 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 | — | #93 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Pittsfield School District | Bow School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | — | Pittsfield High School | 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 | 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.