Bow New Hampshire Community Profiles
Bow, NH
Community Contact Town of Bow
James Pitts, Town Manager
10 Grandview Road, Town Hall
Bow, NH 03304

Telephone (603) 228-1187
Fax (603) 224-6680
E-mail admin@bow-nh.gov
Web Site www.bow-nh.com

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 7:30 am - 4 pm

County Merrimack
Labor Market Area Concord NH Micro-NECTA
Tourism Region Merrimack Valley
Planning Commission Central NH Regional
Regional Development Capital Regional Development Council

Election Districts
US Congress
 District 2
Executive Council
 District 2
State Senate
 District 16
State Representative
 Merrimack County District 13
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 6,106 over 50 years, from 1,062 in 1950 to 7,168 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was an 85 percent increase between 1960 and 1970; the population increased by at least 25 percent each decade. The 2008 Census estimate for Bow was 8,077 residents, which ranked 38th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2008: 286.7 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, 2010 $9,456,290
Budget: School Appropriations, 2009-2010 $24,408,702
Zoning Ordinance 1955/08
Master Plan 2004
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen; Budget; Trust Funds; Library
Appointed:
 Planning; Zoning; Conservation; Ambulance Oversight; Business Development; Heritage; Recreation; Recycling

Public Library Baker Free

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time
Town Fire Insurance Rating 6/9
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Concord Hospital, Concord 4 miles 220

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier Unitil; PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier National Grid
Water Supplier 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
 Voluntary - Curbside

Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 Yes
Residential
 Yes

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $22.53
2008 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $23.81

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 69.7%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 11.4%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 18.9%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 2,717
   
2008 Single-Family Units 2,515
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 12
2008 Multi-Family Units 196
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 6
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 8,077 148,161
2000 7,168 136,716
1990 5,399 120,618
1980 4,015 98,302
1970 2,479 80,925

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 3,560
Female
 3,578

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 449
Age 5 to 19
 2,026
Age 20 to 34
 673
Age 35 to 54
 2,755
Age 55 to 64
 632
Age 65 and over
 603
Median Age
 38.6 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 94.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 45.4%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $29,557
Median 4-person family income $83,567
Median household income $79,329

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $60,375
Female
 $30,929

Families below the poverty level 2.0%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 4,232 4,310
Employed
 4,154 4,193
Unemployed
 78 117
Unemployment Rate
 1.8% 2.7%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
 1,629 1,022
Average Weekly Wage
 $727 $1,141
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
 1,238 1,790
Average Weekly Wage
 $628 $968
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
 2,867 2,812
Average Weekly Wage
 $684 $1,031
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
 433 493
Average Weekly Wage
 $510 $915
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
 3,300 3,305
Average Weekly Wage
 $661 $1,014
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Bow operates grades K-12 District: SAU 67
Career Technology Center(s): Concord High School; Pembroke Academy Region: 11

Educational Facilities 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 K 1-3
Total Enrollment
 516 513 626 38
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 6 Total Capacity: 368
Nearest Community/Technical College: NHTI-Concord
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Franklin Pierce Law; Southern NH University

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
Public Service Co of NH Electric utility 120 1960
Capitol Distributors Beer wholesaler 75 2006
Structures Unlimited/Keller/Kalwall Skylight systems 75 1968
Hampton Inn Hotel 57 1990
Bovie Screen Printing Industrial, commercial screen printing 40 1987
Blue Seal Feeds Specialty commercial feeds 40 1886
Z-Tech High performance zirconia products 27 1969

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  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 21 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 6

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 15 miles
Portland, ME
 107 miles
Boston, MA
 65 miles
New York City, NY
 266 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 244 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 88.1%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 5.7%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 0.0%
Other Means
 0.2%
Worked at home
 5.9%
Mean Travel Time to Work 25.3 minutes
Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
 19%
Commuting to another NH community
 77%
Commuting out-of-state
 4%
    
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
Tourists 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: Antiques; Summer Concert Series

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 10/15/09

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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