Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Hampton Beach
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,097 |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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 75% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,375±$130 8% below NH |
| Bow and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach 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 NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.