Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Keene vs Newfields
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).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Newfields has the most expensive homes ($646k 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 | Keene | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
44.1±1.8Highest about the NH average |
| Newfields 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%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Keene 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% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2 NH: 6% |
| Keene and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Newfields and Bow 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±$20k 8% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields 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 |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Keene 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% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 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 |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Newfields 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Keene School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | None in town |
| 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 | 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.