Compare towns
Bow vs Dunstable vs Topsfield
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 affordable homes ($507k median).
Dunstable has the most homeowners (96.5%).
Topsfield has the most people working from home (29.4%).
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 | Dunstable | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,408Lowest |
6,564 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.4Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.2±1.8Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Topsfield and Bow 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% |
22.4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.8%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S. |
$208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$195,718±$16k 142% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$674,000±$30k 103% above U.S. |
$853,400±$40kHighest 157% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,325±$637 6% below U.S. |
$1,115±$538Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Bow and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$9,020Lowest 189% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.4%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsfield 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Groton-Dunstable | Topsfield |
| 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 |
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.