Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Dover
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 kids (25% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
15,080 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Dover 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% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
| Bow and Durham 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 |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Dover 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 |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Dover 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest 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 | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Oyster River High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.