Compare towns
Bow vs Warner vs Amherst 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Warner | Amherst | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,959Lowest |
11,861Highest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
43.7±4 about the NH average |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±3.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
42.4% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.6 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Warner 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 |
$94,022±$18kLowest 5% below NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst 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 |
$353,100±$22kLowest 12% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,219±$123 18% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| 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 44% above NH |
$7,650Lowest 15% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.7%±21.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
74.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
32 min 19% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
16.6%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | — | #20 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.