Compare towns
Bow vs Dummerston vs Bedford
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 most kids (25% under 18).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k 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 | Dummerston | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,090Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bedford 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% |
21.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bedford 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% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Bedford 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. |
$101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
| Bow and Bedford 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. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Dummerston 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% |
4.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Dummerston 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 | — | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.