The Town FilesBoscawen, New Hampshire
Town in Merrimack County · population 3,998 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $286,500
- Household income
- $77,328
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 46.0
Boscawen is a town of 3,998 people in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $286,500, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks easier by car than 80% of New Hampshire towns, better for young professionals than 75% of New Hampshire towns.
How Boscawen ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Boscawen is worth $286,500, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $77,328, which is more affordable than 56% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,265 a month. 75.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Boscawen | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $286,500 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,265 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $77,328 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.3% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Boscawen
| People | Boscawen | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.0 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.2% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 11.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.8% | 92.5% |
Weather in Boscawen
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 13.2°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.3 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boscawen since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 4, 2018 about 3.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 26, 2026.
Severe weather in Merrimack County since 1996
Merrimack County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4355: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4105: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 30, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3360: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Merrimack County
Merrimack County had 77,147 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,857 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Boscawen itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Boscawen
1 public school with 236 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boscawen Elementary School | PK-5 | 236 | 11.2 |
Towns near Boscawen
- Webster, NH3.1 mi · 1,913 people · home $338,500
- Contoocook, NH6.1 mi · 1,427 people · home $421,300
- Canterbury, NH7.2 mi · 2,389 people · home $443,700
- Salisbury, NH7.5 mi · 1,422 people · home $363,400
- Concord, NH7.6 mi · 43,976 people · home $350,900
- Hopkinton, NH7.7 mi · 5,914 people · home $506,900
- Northfield, NH8.3 mi · 4,872 people · home $288,500
- Warner, NH8.5 mi · 2,937 people · home $353,100
Boscawen questions
Is Boscawen, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Boscawen scores better for retirees than 67% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 28%. 25.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.0).
How much does a house cost in Boscawen?
The median owner-occupied home in Boscawen is valued at $286,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,328, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,265 a month.
What is the weather like in Boscawen?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 13.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 69.3 inches of snow.
Does Boscawen get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boscawen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 4, 2018. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)