Compare towns
Dorset vs Bow vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
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 | Dorset | Bow | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092 |
8,335Highest |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Bow and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489 140% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset 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 | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Bow School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.