Compare towns
Bow vs Hartford vs Dorset
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).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Hartford | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,736Highest |
2,092Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Hartford 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% |
18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dorset 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% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Dorset 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% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Hartford 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 114% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$7,489 140% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Hartford 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% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
22 min 18% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Hartford School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.