Compare towns
Union vs Bow vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most affordable homes ($163k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Middleton has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
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 | Union | Bow | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 131Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,595 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 23.6±30.9Lowest 45% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
43.5±5.7Highest about the NH average |
| Middleton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 35.9%±42.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±4.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Union and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 0%±31.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
18.9%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Middleton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
23.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±13Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.2%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,117±$19kLowest 24% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$101,696±$8k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $162,900±$135kLowest 60% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$312,300±$27k 22% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,500±$293Lowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,258Lowest 81% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,504 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Middleton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 41 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
39 minHighest 45% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.4%±25.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Union 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 | — | Bow School District | Middleton School District |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.