Compare towns
Concord vs Bow vs Derry 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
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
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 | Bow | Derry | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
8,335Lowest |
34,116 |
33,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
40.3±1.6 7% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Bow and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.7%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Concord and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.5 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$108,944±$7k 10% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,547±$138 4% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Dover and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,103 22% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Derry and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
70.2% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #60 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Bow School District | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Bow High School | Pinkerton Academy | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
12.8 |
13.9Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.