Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Durham vs Durham
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 affordable homes ($437k median).
Durham has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
33,364Highest |
10,681 |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
20.8±0.3 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Dover 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% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Dover and Bow 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 |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Durham 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% NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | — | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7 |
— | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.