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By Geography >> City/Town >> Bow

 Bow, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Town of Bow
David Stack, Town Manager
10 Grandview Road, Town Hall
  Bow, NH 03304
 
Telephone (603) 223-3910
Fax (603) 224-6680
E-mail dstack@bownh.gov
Web Site www.bownh.gov
 
Municipal Office Hours Town Manager, Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday to Friday, 7:30-4
 
County Merrimack County
Labor Market Area Concord, NH Micropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Merrimack Valley Region
Planning Commission Central NH Regional Planning
Regional Development Capital Regional Development Council
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 2
State Senate District 15
State Representative Merrimack County District 9
Incorporated: 1727
 
Origin: This community was one of several established in the Merrimack Valley to relieve population congestion in the seacoast. When drawn on a map, the line of communities formed a bow. There is also a bend in the Merrimack River within its borders, and the name Bow may have come from either source. Grants in this expansion were given to many prominent Portsmouth families, causing concern by residents of Rumford to the north, who objected to being hemmed in from the south, and protested to the English crown against extension of such colonization. Upon settlement of the dispute, Rumford was renamed Concord. Bow is the birthplace of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the First Church of Christ, Scientist and leader of the Christian Science movement.
 
Villages and Place Names: Bow Bog, Bow Center, Bow Junction, Bow Mills, South Bow
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 568 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Bow totaled 5,849 over 50 years, from 2,479 in 1970 to 8,328 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 62 percent increase from 1970 to 1980; population increased by 34 percent from 1980 to 1990 and 33 percent from 1990 to 2000. The town's population increased by 11 percent from 2010 to 2020.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 297.5 persons per square mile of land area. Bow contains 28.2 square miles of land area and 0.4 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen/Town Manager
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2024-2025 $17,827,161
Budget:School Appropriations,2023-2024 $37,747,617
Zoning Ordinance 1955/2022
Master Plan 2017
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: Selectmen; Budget; Trust Funds; Library
    Appointed: Planning; Zoning; Conservation; Business Development; Heritage; Recycling & Solid Waste; Drinking Water Protection; Capital Improvement Plan; Energy
 
Public Library Baker Free



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time
Emergency Medical Service Full-time
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Concord Hospital, Concord 4 miles   236


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Unitil; Eversource Energy
Natural Gas Supplier Liberty Utilities
Water Supplier Municipal; Private wells
 
Sanitation Private septic & municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
    Curbside Trash Pickup Municipal & private
    Pay-As-You-Throw Program No
    Recycling Program Voluntary - Curbside
 
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications; Dunbarton Telephone
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service: Business Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Yes
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $27.81
2023 Equalization Ratio 62.5
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $17.05
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 75.9%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 16.2%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 7.9%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 2,922
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 2,753
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 31
    Five or More Units in Structure 138
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 0




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 8,389   157,103
   2020 8,328   153,808
   2010 7,512   146,445
   2000 7,153   136,225
   1990 5,399   120,240
   1980 4,015   98,302

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   4,045 Female   4,190
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 629
      Age 5 to 19 1,654
      Age 20 to 34 1,148
      Age 35 to 54 2,335
      Age 55 to 64 1,113
      Age 65 and over 1,356
            Median Age 41.7 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 5,629
      High school graduation or higher 98.7%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 62.1%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $64,380
Median Family Income $158,203
Median Household Income $147,951
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $105,042
      Female $66,023
 
Individuals below poverty level 2.6%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 4,365   4,457
    Employed 4,187   4,374
    Unemploymed 178   83
    Unemployment rate 4.1%   1.9%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  1,269  1,299
    Average Weekly Wage  $976  $1,500
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  1,890  2,158
    Average Weekly Wage  $982  $1,389
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  3,159  3,458
    Average Weekly Wage  $980  $1,431
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  444  457
    Average Weekly Wage  $893  $1,020
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  3,603  3,915
    Average Weekly Wage  $969  $1,383
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Bow operates grades K-12 District: SAU 67
Career Technology Center: Concord Regional Technical Center
 
Educational Facilities(includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 1 1 1
Grade Levels P K 1-4 5-8 9-12 P K 1-4
Total Enrollment 528 530 611 47
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: NHTI-Concord; Manchestser
Nearest College or Universities: Granite State; UNH School of Law; Southern NH University; St. Anselm, UNH-Manchester; Franklin Pierce-Manchester; MCPHS; New England

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     5   Capacity:     194

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
The Grappone Companies New, used vehicle sales & service 300 1924
Pitco/MagiKitch'n Commercial cooking equipment 280 1918
R.S. Audley, Inc. General construction contractor 175 1955
Granite Shore Power Electric utility 120 1960
Amoskeag Beverages, LLC Beer wholesaler 75 2006
Structures Unlimited/Keller/Kalwall Skylight systems 75 1968
Hampton Inn Hotel 57 1990
Bovie Screen Printing Industrial, commercial screen printing 38 1987
Coastal & Quality Wood Priming Siding, decking, and engineered wood products 150 1998
Exel/DHL State Liquor Commission Warehouse & Distribution 170 2013
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes:
State Routes: 3A, 13
Nearest Interstate/Exit: I-89, Exit 1; I-93, Exit 12
Distance: Local access; 1 mile
 
Railroad Boston & Maine
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
    Concord Municipal Runway  6,005 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  Yes
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Manchester-Boston Regional Distance   21 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 15 miles
    Portland, Maine 107 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 65 miles
    New York City, New York 262 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 244 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 74.9%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 5.5%
  Used Public Transportation: 0.3%
  Walked: 1.5%
  Traveled by other means: 0.6%
  Worked at home: 17.2%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 25.0 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 66.2%
Commute to other NH community: 30.2%
Commute out-of-state: 3.6%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
X Youth Organizations (ie Scouts and 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
X Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Pat's Peak, Mount Sunapee
 
Other: Summer Concert Series