Compare towns
Weare vs Bow vs Gilford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Weare | Bow | Gilford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
8,335 |
7,830Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
| Gilford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5Lowest 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Gilford and Bow 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% |
45.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest 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±$17k 19% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$116,635±$11kLowest 18% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
| Bow and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH |
| Weare and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272 6% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8Lowest 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 | #45 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Bow School District | Gilford School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Bow High School | Gilford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.