Compare towns
Bow vs Wolfeboro 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).
Wolfeboro has the oldest population (median age 57).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
6,571 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
| Wolfeboro 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 |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Bow 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% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.