Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs South Berwick
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).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Dover 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%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% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest 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. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick 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% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.7Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.