Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Webster
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).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($339k 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 | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
2,227Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
44.7±7.6Highest 3% above NH |
| Webster 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% |
22.6%±8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Webster 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%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±1.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Webster 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% |
30.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$107,171±$14k 8% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$338,500±$30kLowest 16% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,396±$622Lowest 6% 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 |
$6,021Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
53.6%±71Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Webster 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 NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
9.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
31 minHighest 14% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Dover School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.