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Bow, NH


bow New Hampshire Community Profile 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
Labor Market Area Concord, NH Micropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Merrimack Valley
Planning Commission Central NH Regional
Regional Development Capital Regional Development Council

Election Districts
US Congress District District 2
Executive Council District District 2
State Senate District 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. The 2021 Census estimate for Bow was 8,383 residents, which ranked 39th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2021 (US Census Bureau): 297.6 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, 2022-2023 $14,225,174
Budget: School Appropriations, 2022-2023 $31,832,024
Zoning Ordinance 1955/21
Master Plan 2017
Capitol 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
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 245

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 PickupMunicipal & private
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramNo
Recycling ProgramVoluntary - Curbside
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications; Dunbarton Telephone
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessYes
ResidentialYes

(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes
2021 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $25.49
2021 Equalization Ratio 81.5
2021 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $20.32
2021 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings75.8%
Commercial Land and Buildings16.5%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other7.8%

(ACS 2017-2021) Housing
Total Housing Units 2,823
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 2,667
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 24
Five or More Units in Structure 132
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 0
(US Census Bureau) Population
(Decennial/ACS 2017-2021)
Total Population Community County
2021 8,227 152,983
2020 8,229 153,808
2010 7,519 146,445
2000 7,168 136,716
1990 5,399 120,618
1980 4,015 98,302
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021
Population by Gender
Male:   4,065 Female:   4,162
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 566
Age 5 to 19 1,766
Age 20 to 34 1,108
Age 35 to 54 2,306
Age 55 to 64 1,188
Age 65 and over 1,293
Median Age 41.1 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over 5,560
High school graduate or higher 97.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher 57.9%

(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $
Per capita income $55,016
Median family income $138,933
Median household income $132,774
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers, 16 years ad over
Male $94,688
Female $67,202
Individuals below the poverty level 1.6%

(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force
Annual Average 2011 2021
Civilian Labor Force 4,316 4,372
Employed 4,146 4,254
Unemployed 170 118
Unemployment Rate 3.9% 2.7%

(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages
Annual Average Covered Employment 2011 2021
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 1,238 1,204
Average Weekly Wage $964 $1,351
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 1,666 2,035
Average Weekly Wage $1,040 $1,243
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 2,905 3,238
Average Weekly Wage $1,008 $1,283
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 444 458
Average Weekly Wage $882 $1,020
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 3,349 3,697
Average Weekly Wage $991 $1,250

If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.


(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Bow operates grades K-12 SAU 67
Career Technology Center(s): 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 522 526 621 49
2021 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 5 Total Capacity: 228
Nearest Community/Technical College: NHTI-Concord; Manchestser
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Granite State; UNH School of Law; Southern NH University; St. Anselm, UNH-Manchester; Franklin Pierce-Manchester; MCPHS; New England

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


(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation
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 MunicipalRunway6,005 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 21 miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 15 miles
Portland, ME 107 miles
Boston, MA 65 miles
New York City, NY 262 miles
Montreal, Quebec 244 miles

(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work
Workers 16 years and over 4,556
Drove alone, car/truck/van 80.2%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 6.4%
Public transportation 0.2%
Walked 0.6%
Other Means 0.5%
Worked at home 12.1%
Mean Travel Time to Work 26.1 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2017-2021)
Working in community of residence 20.3%
Commuting to another NH community 74.7%
Commuting out-of-state 5.0%
Recreation, Attractions, and 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 (i.e., Scouts, 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 Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Pat's Peak, Mount Sunapee
   
Other: Indoor Soccer; Summer Concert Series

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, April 2023. Community Response Received 6/14/22

All information regarding the communities is from sources deemed reliable and is submitted subject to errors, omissions, modifications, and withdrawals without notice. No warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. Specific questions regarding individual cities and towns should be directed to the community contact.

 

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