Compare towns
Concord vs Appleton vs Dover vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Concord | Appleton | Dover | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
1,360Lowest |
33,364 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 5% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13k 5% above U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 about the U.S. average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 132% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Dover 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Appleton Public Schools | Dover School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.