Compare towns
Weare vs Bow vs Norwich vs Henniker
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weare has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Norwich | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
8,335 |
3,640Lowest |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2 5% above U.S. |
31.1±6.1Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| 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%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Henniker 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
27%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17k 46% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$95,206±$21kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26k 19% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$356,700±$49kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,081±$164Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| 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 101% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,877 185% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Weare and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Bow School District | Norwich School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.