Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Lyme vs Dunbarton
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).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Lyme | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
1,710Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Lyme and Dunbarton 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Dunbarton 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% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 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 |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% 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 |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Lyme 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% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Lyme School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.