Compare towns
Bow vs Standish 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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
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 | Standish | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,662Highest |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest 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%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest 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% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Dunbarton 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% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as 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%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #18 of 133 in ME | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.5Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.