What stands out worked out from the figures below

Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k median).

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Weare	Bow
People
Population	9,170Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.6±4Highest 5% above NH	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH
	Weare and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Bow and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%	17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1%
	Bow and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	60.3%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%
	Bow and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$118,271±$17kLowest 19% above NH	$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average	$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH	$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH
	Weare and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,272Lowest 6% below NH	$9,584Highest 44% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2%	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Weare and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	2.7%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH	1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 34% above NH	27 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8%	22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Weare 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	#84 of 120 in NH	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District	Bow School District
High school in town	John Stark Regional High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.