Compare towns
Townshend vs Bow vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k 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 | Townshend | Bow | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,538 |
8,335Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Athens and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
| Bow and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.