Compare towns
Dover vs Bow vs Hillsborough
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).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Dover | Bow | Hillsborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,335 |
5,980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
| Bow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest 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% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% 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 |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Dover 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% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2Lowest 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 | #97 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Bow School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.