Compare towns
Bow vs Suncook vs Brookline vs Dunbarton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
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 | Suncook | Brookline | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
5,432 |
5,736 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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 NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$79,836±$25kLowest 19% below NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| 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 26% above NH |
$361,100±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| 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 3% above NH |
$1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
| 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 44% above NH |
$6,975Lowest 5% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.2%±21.7 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Brookline School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.