Compare towns
Bow vs Salem 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).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Salem | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
2,611Lowest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.5±4.2 22% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Salem 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% |
16.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem 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% |
31.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$83,398±$12kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$196,000±$26kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$948±$40Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±12.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem 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 | #376 of 484 in NY | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
8.5Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.