Compare towns
Bow vs Concord vs Dover vs Kensington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Kensington has the most expensive homes ($658k 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 | Concord | Dover | Kensington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
44,375Highest |
33,364 |
2,009Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
43.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Kensington and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±2.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±2.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Kensington and Concord 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 NH: 40.6% |
42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
48.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Concord 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 75% above NH |
$84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$165,083±$18k 67% above NH |
| Bow and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$657,700±$47kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,813±$627Highest 22% above NH |
| Kensington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$9,637Highest 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 min 14% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Kensington 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Dover School District | Kensington School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Concord High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.