Compare towns
White River Junction vs Bow vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | White River Junction | Bow | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,364Lowest |
8,335Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Bow and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 81% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school 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.