Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Keene vs Pembroke
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 highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Pembroke has the oldest population (median age 41.9).
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 | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
7,438Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3% 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 |
41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
| Pembroke 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% |
24%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke 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%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% 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 | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$7,589 14% 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% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Pembroke 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% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Dover 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 | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Keene School District | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.7 |
12.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.