Compare towns

Bow vs Dover vs Norwich vs Dunbarton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).

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.

MeasureBowDoverNorwichDunbarton
People
Population
8,335
33,364Highest
3,640
3,097Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
36.9±1.9Lowest
5% below U.S.
40.8±3.2
5% above U.S.
48±3.7Highest
23% above U.S.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.9%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
24%±5.1
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.8%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
16%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.4%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Dunbarton 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
52%
U.S.: 35.7%
81%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
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
114% above U.S.
$94,829±$7kLowest
17% above U.S.
$140,313±$12k
74% above U.S.
$124,348±$21k
54% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$436,700±$20kLowest
31% above U.S.
$637,500±$76kHighest
92% above U.S.
$484,100±$33k
46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178
9% above U.S.
$1,607±$100Highest
14% above U.S.
$1,460±$322
3% above U.S.
$1,166±$70Lowest
17% below U.S.
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
207% above U.S.
$8,249
164% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$8,233Lowest
164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
48.6%±6.3
U.S.: 51.1%
30.7%±19.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
54.7%±60.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dunbarton 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
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
52.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1990Highest
10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
23 min
14% below U.S.
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
34 minHighest
27% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.6%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
21%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
12.6%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Bow and Norwich 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 #1 of 70 in VT #33 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Dover School District Norwich 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
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U.S. 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.