Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Madbury vs Plainfield
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Madbury | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
2,203Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
| Bow and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Bow 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% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 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 |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
| Plainfield 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 |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Bow 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% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Plainfield 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.