Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Rochester
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).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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 | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
33,364Highest |
33,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
43±1.8Highest about the NH average |
| Rochester 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% |
18.2%±1.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.6%±1.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Rochester 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% |
27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest 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 |
$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,369±$72Lowest 8% 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 |
$5,334Lowest 20% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±7 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Rochester 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% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
66% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest 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 | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.7Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.