Compare towns

Dover vs Bow vs Nottingham

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).
Nottingham has the most homeowners (94.3%).

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.

MeasureDoverBowNottingham
People
Population
33,364Highest
8,335
5,357Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.2%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+9.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+9.3%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
36.9±1.9Lowest
15% below NH
41.5±2Highest
4% below NH
38.8±6.7
10% below NH
Bow and Nottingham 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%
23.9%±5.4
NH: 18.2%
Bow and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.8%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
17.6%±2.5
NH: 20.1%
18.4%±4.2Highest
NH: 20.1%
Nottingham and Bow 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%
40.9%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.2%±1.2Highest
NH: 6%
5.6%±1.9Lowest
NH: 6%
5.9%±2.6
NH: 6%
Dover and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,829±$7kLowest
4% below NH
$172,857±$16kHighest
75% above NH
$122,201±$20k
23% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$436,700±$20kLowest
8% above NH
$506,500±$34kHighest
26% above NH
$457,500±$26k
14% above NH
Bow and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,607±$100
8% above NH
$1,539±$178Lowest
3% above NH
$2,068±$1kHighest
39% above NH
Nottingham and Dover 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
$7,319Lowest
10% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
48.6%±6.3
NH: 48.2%
39%±13.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
92.1%±44.9Highest
NH: 48.2%
Nottingham 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%
NH: 7.2%
1.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
52.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
87.5%
NH: 72.8%
94.3%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Lowest
3 yrs older than NH
1985
6 yrs newer than NH
1992Highest
13 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
15% below NH
27 min
about the NH average
34 minHighest
27% above NH
Work from home
18.6%±2.5Lowest
NH: 16.8%
22.7%±4.7Highest
NH: 16.8%
22.2%±5.8
NH: 16.8%
Bow and Nottingham 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 #15 of 120 in NH
School district Dover School District Bow School District Nottingham School District
High school in town Dover Senior High School Bow High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.7Lowest
12.8Highest
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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.