Compare towns
Bow vs Dummerston vs Strafford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,090 |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Strafford 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% |
53.3%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% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% 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. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% 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% |
44.6%±48Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | Strafford School District |
| 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.