Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Bedford
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).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k 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 | Dover | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
33,364Highest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
| Bedford 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% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford 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% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover 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 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
| Bow and Bedford 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 |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.