Compare towns
Concord vs Hanover vs Dover 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 most affordable homes ($351k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Dover | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
8,479 |
33,364 |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% 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% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Concord and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% NH: 72.8% |
62.4% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 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 | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | — | Dover Senior High School | 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.