Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Salem
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).
Salem has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
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 | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
33,364Highest |
30,964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
44.6±2.7Highest 3% above NH |
| Salem 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%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Salem 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% |
38.7%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±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
| Bow and Salem 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 |
$1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
| Salem and Dover 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 |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Salem 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% |
5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest 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 | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7 |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.