Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Wilmot
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).
Wilmot has the oldest population (median age 53).
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 | Wilmot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
33,364Highest |
1,487Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
53±2.4Highest 22% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.3%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Wilmot 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
58.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3%±3.4Lowest 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 |
$117,759±$15k 19% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$399,600±$43kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,125±$289Lowest 25% 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 |
$6,651Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.1%±41.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Wilmot 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% |
2.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Wilmot 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 | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.