Compare towns
Bow vs New Castle 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).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Dunbarton has the most affordable homes ($484k median).
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 | New Castle | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
827Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$124,348±$21kLowest 26% above NH |
| New Castle and Bow 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 |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,509 28% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Bow 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% |
4.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 min 22% above NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle 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 | — | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | New Castle 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.