Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Bow is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns
Bow beats New Hampshire on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03304. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bow
Against towns with similar incomes, Bow’s lead shrinks
Bow is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, but 82% of the 1,598 towns with similar household incomes ($130K–$216K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Bow keeps up with checkups
It beats New Hampshire on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (76.2% vs 68.8%) and cholesterol checks (91.2% vs 88.3%). Checkups ↓
Bow is an active town
Only 15% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 20.7% across New Hampshire. The town has 80 miles of trails across 21 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Bow adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (26.5% vs 30.6%), frequent mental distress (13.1% vs 15.3%) and lack of emotional support (18.5% vs 21.6%) all run below New Hampshire. Mind & connection ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New Hampshire figure falls outside Bow’s likely range; Bow’s figures come from ZIP code 03304, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Bow’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bow is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, #5 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than almost every town); the weakest is obesity, still better than 82%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bow’s median household income is $172,857; among the 1,598 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($130K–$216K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bow adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
80 miles of trails across 21 parks and preserves
How Bow adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Bow does better than New Hampshire.
1 in 4 Bow adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Out of every 100 Bow adults…
Bow runs below NH on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bow
No hospital or community health center in Bow itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bow; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
3.7% of Bow adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Bow and the towns around it
Bow has the best Health Grade of the 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow | A+ | 30.4% | 7.6% | 7.5% | ZIP 03304 |
| Concord | A− | 33.6% | 9.1% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Suncook | — | — | — | — | |
| Dunbarton | A | 32.8% | 8.5% | 9.8% | ZIP 03046 |
| Pembroke | B | 36.4% | 10% | 14.2% | ZIP 03275 |
| Hopkinton | A | 32% | 8.9% | 8.8% | ZIP 03229 |
| Hooksett | A | 32.8% | 8.6% | 10.4% | ZIP 03106 |
Suncook: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bow adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bow
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bow is better than New Hampshire on 21 and worse on 0; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Bow’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bow | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.7%8.9–12.6 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.6%8.3–11.1 | 11.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.3–14.9 | 15.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.4%25.8–35.2 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.5%26.5–32.5 | 33% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.9%29.8–36.2 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.6%24–29.3 | 27.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.4–11.2 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.3–5.6 | 6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%3.8–5.6 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.2–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.5%5.4–7.6 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.5%5.8–9.4 | 10.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15%12.3–18 | 20.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%13.1–18.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.9%27.4–34.6 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.4%3.5–5.6 | 6.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.8–83.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.2%74–78.6 | 68.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.2%89.6–92.5 | 88.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.3%73–79.2 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.2%69–75.2 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.8%81.1–88.1 | 78.8% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%19.1–25.1 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.5%23.2–30 | 30.6% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.5%15.9–21.5 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.6%4.4–7.2 | 9.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.7%4.6–7 | 8.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.8%3.1–4.6 | 5.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.9%3.3–4.7 | 5.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.7%2.8–4.9 | 6.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.8%18.8–25.1 | 26.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.2%7.7–10.8 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.4%7.9–11.1 | 12% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.7%2.4–3.2 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5%4.2–5.8 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.2%1.9–2.6 | 2.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New Hampshire figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bow
Is Bow a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bow is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #5 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bow?
CDC estimates 30.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.8% and 35.2%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bow?
Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, 8.7 miles in a straight line from Bow’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bow have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.5–5.6%), against 6.8% across New Hampshire.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bow more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bow.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Hampshire figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.