Compare towns
Bow vs Ashby vs Pembroke vs Dunbarton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% 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 | Bow | Ashby | Pembroke | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,211 |
7,438 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$371,500±$20kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,218±$354 14% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,034Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,589 143% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #85 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | North Middlesex | Pembroke School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Pembroke Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.