Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Ogunquit 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 the highest household income ($173k).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Ogunquit | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,097 |
1,379Lowest |
4,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±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. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
— | $1,635±$246Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Bow 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. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,086 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | — | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | — | 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 | 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.