Compare towns
Windham vs Madbury vs Henniker vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Windham | Madbury | Henniker | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
2,203Lowest |
6,197 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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+ | 62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,877Lowest 33% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 15% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — | #56 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Henniker School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.