Compare towns
Bow vs Brookline vs Dunstable
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Dunstable has the most expensive homes ($674k median).
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 | Dunstable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
5,736 |
3,408Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.4Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±4.3Lowest 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%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kLowest 112% above U.S. |
$208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow 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. |
$9,020Lowest 189% 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% |
60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.9Lowest 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 | #4 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Brookline School District | Groton-Dunstable |
| High school in town | Bow High School | 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 |
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.