Compare towns
Concord vs Dover vs Nelson vs Bow
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Dover | Nelson | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
33,364 |
648Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.3±11.7Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Nelson 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 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| 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±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13k 13% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$340,900±$49kLowest 15% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| 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 8% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Concord 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% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Dover School District | Nelson School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
| 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.