What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Dartmouth has the most renters (24% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Dartmouth
People
Population	8,335Lowest	33,328Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	42.5±2Highest 9% above U.S.
	Dartmouth 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 U.S.: 22%	14.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dartmouth and Bow 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%	39%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$99,839±$8kLowest 24% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$496,500±$20kLowest 49% above U.S.
	Bow and Dartmouth 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.	$1,462±$159Lowest 3% above U.S.
	Bow and Dartmouth 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.	$4,263Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dartmouth and Bow 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%	6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#115 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Dartmouth
High school in town	Bow High School	Dartmouth High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.