Compare towns
Bow vs Dummerston vs Ira
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).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,090 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Ira and Dummerston 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%±6 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dummerston 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%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Dummerston 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% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest 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% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Ira 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±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$272,900±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Bow and Dummerston 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. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,146Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston 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% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | 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.