Compare towns
Bow vs St. Albans vs Brookline 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).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | St. Albans | Brookline | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
6,954 |
5,736 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest 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% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% 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. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% 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. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below 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. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and St. Albans 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%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. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #23 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Brookline School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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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.