Compare towns
Bow vs Brookline vs Dunbarton vs Eliot
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).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Dunbarton has the most affordable homes ($484k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Brookline | Dunbarton | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
5,736 |
3,097Lowest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Bow 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. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Dunbarton 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% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Dunbarton School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.