Compare towns
Bow vs Upton vs Dunbarton vs Amherst
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Dunbarton has the most affordable homes ($484k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Upton | Dunbarton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,189 |
3,097Lowest |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 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. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Bow and Upton 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amherst 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±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst 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. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$8,233Lowest 164% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Upton 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Upton 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 282 in MA | #33 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dunbarton School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.2 |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.