Compare towns
Bow vs Henniker vs Dunbarton vs Amherst
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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Dunbarton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
6,197 |
3,097Lowest |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Amherst 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% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Amherst 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% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst 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 |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst 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 3% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Bow and Amherst 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 |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Henniker 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Henniker School District | Dunbarton School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.