Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Newington vs Dunbarton
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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Newington | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,681Highest |
939Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Newington 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$145,833±$46k 47% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Bow and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Newington and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Durham 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Newington School District | Dunbarton 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 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.