Compare towns
Douglas vs Lee vs Bow vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k 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 | Douglas | Lee | Bow | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
4,576Lowest |
8,335 |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kLowest 63% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
| Bow and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
— | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Bow and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sutton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #3 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District | Sutton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | None in town | Bow High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.