Compare towns
Bow vs Royalton vs Dunbarton vs Brookline
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).
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Royalton | Dunbarton | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,752Lowest |
3,097 |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.9±10.1 13% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
22.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Royalton and Dunbarton 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% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Royalton and Brookline 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. |
$103,938±$24kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline 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. |
$263,200±$73kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow 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. |
$1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,675Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | #33 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | White River Unified School District #79 | Dunbarton School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
8.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.