Compare towns
Bow vs Hanover vs Waitsfield vs Dunbarton
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 highest household income ($173k).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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 | Hanover | Waitsfield | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,479Highest |
1,918Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Waitsfield 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% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26k 90% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821 15% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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 |
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.