Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Salem
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%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
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 | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,097Lowest |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Salem 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% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest 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%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Salem 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% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Salem 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 |
$110,490±$9kLowest 12% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$473,300±$16kLowest 18% above 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 |
$1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
| Salem 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 |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Salem 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% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Salem 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 | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| 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.