Compare towns

Bow vs Stratham vs Norwich 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).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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.

MeasureBowStrathamNorwichDunbarton
People
Population
8,335Highest
7,754
3,640
3,097Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
41.6±4.9
7% above U.S.
40.8±3.2Lowest
5% above U.S.
48±3.7Highest
23% above U.S.
Dunbarton and Stratham 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%
23.5%±5.3
U.S.: 22%
24%±5.1
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Norwich 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%
20.6%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.4%±4.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Stratham 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
69.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
81%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bow and Norwich 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.
$151,998±$20k
88% above U.S.
$140,313±$12k
74% above U.S.
$124,348±$21kLowest
54% above U.S.
Bow and Stratham 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.
$655,400±$36kHighest
97% above U.S.
$637,500±$76k
92% above U.S.
$484,100±$33kLowest
46% above U.S.
Stratham and Norwich 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.
$2,511±$377Highest
78% above U.S.
$1,460±$322
3% above U.S.
$1,166±$70Lowest
17% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584
207% above U.S.
$9,781
214% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$8,233Lowest
164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
64%±38.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
30.7%±19.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
54.7%±60.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Stratham and Dunbarton 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%
2.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
92.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1986
6 yrs newer than U.S.
1982Lowest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1990Highest
10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
27 min
about the U.S. average
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
34 minHighest
27% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
25.3%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
21%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
12.6%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Stratham 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 #43 of 120 in NH #1 of 70 in VT #33 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District Norwich School District Dunbarton School District
High school in town Bow High School None in town None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8
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On TownTapestry
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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.