Compare towns
Bow vs Mont Vernon 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).
Mont Vernon has the most people working from home (26.6%).
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 | Mont Vernon | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,636Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.9±2.8 about the NH average |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Mont Vernon 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% |
22.1%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Mont Vernon 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% |
15.6%±3.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Bow 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 NH: 40.6% |
50.8% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Mont Vernon 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 75% above NH |
$158,036±$19k 60% above NH |
$124,348±$21kLowest 26% above NH |
| Bow and Mont Vernon 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 |
$526,300±$39kHighest 31% above NH |
$484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
| Mont Vernon 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 |
$1,104±$185Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$9,432 41% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.4%±80.8 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Mont Vernon 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% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 min 12% above NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.6%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Mont Vernon 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 | #4 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Mont Vernon School District | 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 |
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.