Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Ellsworth
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Dunbarton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,097Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Ellsworth 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% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellsworth and Dunbarton 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% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Ellsworth 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. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Dunbarton 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% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| 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.