Compare towns
Washington vs Bow vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Washington has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Wells has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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 | Washington | Bow | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,056Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.9±5.1Highest 36% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
| Washington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,103±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$37kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $996±$285Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
| Bow and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,485 12% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.5%±63.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Washington 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Bow School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.