Compare towns
Sutton vs Bow vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Sutton | Bow | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,239Lowest |
8,335Highest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Sutton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 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 | $130,313±$31kLowest 32% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% 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 | $362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% 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 | $1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
— |
| Sutton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,652Lowest 15% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.7% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kearsarge Regional School District | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.