Compare towns
Dorchester vs Bow vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Dorchester | Bow | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
8,335 |
11,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Dorchester and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10kLowest 55% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 min 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.