Compare towns
Chichester vs Bow vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chichester has the most affordable homes ($409k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Chichester | Bow | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,745Lowest |
8,335 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43±3.3Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Chichester and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Chichester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Chichester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,297±$13k 10% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,055±$275Highest 38% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,189Lowest 8% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.6%±34.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Chichester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 19%±8 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Chichester 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 | #75 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chichester School District | Bow School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.