Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Topsham vs Brookline
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).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Topsham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
9,706 |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Bow 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% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| 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 52% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Dover 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. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% 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. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7 |
12.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.