Compare towns
Temple vs Bow vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Temple | Bow | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
8,335Highest |
6,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3 14% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
| Peterborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 5% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$98,401±$8k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$404,500±$31k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,395±$209 6% below NH |
| Bow and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983Lowest 5% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,655 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 37% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Temple 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 | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Bow School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.