Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Eliot 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%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Dunbarton has the most affordable homes ($484k median).
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 | Windham | Eliot | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,038Highest |
7,146 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow 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. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.