Compare towns
Ashland vs Bow vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Ashland | Bow | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
8,335 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Ashland and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Dover 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Bow School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.