Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Madison vs New Durham
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Madison has the shortest commute (22 min average).
New Durham has the most affordable homes ($339k 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 | Madison | New Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,097 |
2,680Lowest |
2,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+2.5% NH: +4.6% |
+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
50.3±9.7Highest 16% above NH |
46.5±7.5 7% above NH |
| Madison and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±6.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Madison 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% |
23.1%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
23.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| New Durham and Madison 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 NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
37.9% NH: 40.6% |
34.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
1.9%±2.1 NH: 6% |
1%±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 |
$102,697±$11k 4% above NH |
$100,194±$13kLowest about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$388,700±$36k 3% below NH |
$339,400±$27kLowest 16% below NH |
| 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±$178 3% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,556±$256Highest 4% above NH |
$1,417±$116 5% below NH |
| Madison and Bow 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 |
$4,074Lowest 39% below NH |
$5,774 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
69.2%±46Highest NH: 48.2% |
25%±42.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Madison 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
5.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94.4% NH: 72.8% |
94% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
34 min 25% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
35 minHighest 30% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
10%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Madison School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.