Compare towns
Walden vs Bow vs Concord vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% 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 | Walden | Bow | Concord | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,145 |
2,965 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.8±6.6Highest 28% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
| Concord and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Concord and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$73,304±$9kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$92,297±$17k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$159,300±$8kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39k 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,111±$29 21% below U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 26% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,026Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,351 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±82.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Walden 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 | — | #68 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Bow School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | Hazen Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.