Compare towns

Bow vs Woonsocket 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%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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.

MeasureBowWoonsocketDunbarton
People
Population
8,335
43,521Highest
3,097Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
48±3.7Highest
23% above U.S.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Woonsocket 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%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.4%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
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
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bow and Woonsocket 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.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$124,348±$21k
54% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
52% above U.S.
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$484,100±$33k
46% above U.S.
Bow and Dunbarton 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.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,166±$70
17% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$8,233
164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
54.7%±60.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dunbarton and Woonsocket 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%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1990Highest
10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
29 min
11% above U.S.
34 minHighest
27% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.6%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Bow and Dunbarton 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 #37 of 38 in RI #33 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Dunbarton School District
High school in town Bow High School Woonsocket High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
15.2Highest
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On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.