Compare towns
Bow vs Dover vs Windham 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
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
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 | Windham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,466Lowest |
16,038Highest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Brookline 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% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow 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. |
$332,900±$55kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
| Windham and Brookline 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. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Bow 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% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Windham School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.