Compare towns

Dover vs Bow vs Conway

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Conway has the oldest population (median age 55).

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.

MeasureDoverBowConway
People
Population
33,364Highest
8,335Lowest
10,141
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%
NH: +4.6%
+9.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
-2.9%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
15% below NH
41.5±2
4% below NH
55±4.1Highest
27% above NH
Kids under 18
16.9%±1.8
NH: 18.2%
25%±3.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
12.4%±2.4Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Age 65+
16.8%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
17.6%±2.5
NH: 20.1%
35.1%±5.1Highest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
52%
NH: 40.6%
60.3%Highest
NH: 40.6%
37.9%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2Highest
NH: 6%
5.6%±1.9
NH: 6%
5%±3Lowest
NH: 6%
Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,829±$7k
4% below NH
$172,857±$16kHighest
75% above NH
$64,385±$8kLowest
35% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$436,700±$20k
8% above NH
$506,500±$34kHighest
26% above NH
$314,000±$43kLowest
22% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100Highest
8% above NH
$1,539±$178
3% above NH
$1,095±$141Lowest
27% below NH
Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,249
24% above NH
$9,584Highest
44% above NH
$4,087Lowest
39% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.6%±6.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
39%±13.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
47.3%±13.9
NH: 48.2%
Dover and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.3%Highest
NH: 7.2%
2.7%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
87.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
71.2%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
3 yrs older than NH
1985Highest
6 yrs newer than NH
1983
4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
15% below NH
27 minHighest
about the NH average
21 minLowest
23% below NH
Work from home
18.6%±2.5
NH: 16.8%
22.7%±4.7Highest
NH: 16.8%
13.4%±4.6Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Bow and Dover 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 #64 of 120 in NH #26 of 120 in NH #76 of 120 in NH
School district Dover School District Bow School District Conway School District
High school in town Dover Senior High School Bow High School Kennett High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7
12.8Highest
11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.