Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Lyme vs Rollinsford
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).
Rollinsford has the most affordable homes ($398k 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 | Lyme | Rollinsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
1,710Lowest |
2,626 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.8% 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 |
38.8±5.5 10% below NH |
| Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme 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% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Rollinsford 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% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest 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±$7k 4% below NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$398,100±$33kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,809±$394Highest 21% above NH |
| Rollinsford 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,851Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
78.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Rollinsford 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 | — | #94 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Lyme School District | Rollinsford 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.