Compare towns
Dover vs Bow vs Durham
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 most kids (25% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Dover | Bow | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,335Lowest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% 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 | $8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.