Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Wardsboro
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k 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 | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,466 |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.6±7.3 33% above U.S. |
| Dover and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$62,000±$6k 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$299,300±$47kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,479±$224 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and Wardsboro 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. |
$4,510 45% above U.S. |
$4,345Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wardsboro and Bow 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.