Compare towns
Bow vs Gilford 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 highest household income ($173k).
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Gilford | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,830 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Gilford 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% |
20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Gilford 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% |
21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Gilford 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.4% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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 |
$116,635±$11kLowest 18% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$456,500±$56kLowest 13% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% 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±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Gilford 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 NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Gilford 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 | #45 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Gilford School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Gilford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.5Lowest |
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| 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.