Compare towns
Bow vs Castleton vs Putney 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).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Castleton | Putney | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,453 |
2,622Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castleton 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% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Putney and Castleton 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. |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below 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. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 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 |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Putney 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Dunbarton School District |
| 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.