Compare towns
Dover vs Bow vs Portsmouth vs Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($399k 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 | Portsmouth | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,335Lowest |
22,545 |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Milford 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth 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% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 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±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Milford 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 |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Milford 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% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Bow School District | Portsmouth School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School | Portsmouth High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
11.4 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.