Compare towns
Amherst vs Berwick vs Dover vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Berwick has the most affordable homes ($369k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amherst | Berwick | Dover | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861 |
8,175Lowest |
33,364Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 120 in NH | #101 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Dover School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.