Compare towns
Bow vs Hampstead vs Bedford 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 kids (25% under 18).
Hampstead has the most renters (17.9% rent).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Hampstead | Bedford | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
9,102 |
23,746Highest |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Hampstead 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% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bedford 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%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead and Bedford 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% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hampstead 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 |
$112,348±$18kLowest 13% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Bow and Bedford 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 |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,299±$149 13% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford 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% |
3.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
30 min 13% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hampstead School District | Bedford School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.