Compare towns
Bow vs Lancaster vs Mendon 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Lancaster | Mendon | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,606Highest |
6,325 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Mendon 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dunbarton and Lancaster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Bow 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21kLowest 54% above U.S. |
| Bow and Lancaster 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. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$7,213Lowest 131% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.