Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Rye vs Brookline
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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Rye | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
5,611Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Dover 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 |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Rye 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 |
$7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.9% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 min 8% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Rye and Brookline 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Rye School District | Brookline 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.