Compare towns
Dover vs Bow vs Windham vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
South Berwick has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Windham | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
8,335 |
16,038 |
7,670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 17% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | Bow School District | Windham School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School | Windham High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8 |
12.8 |
13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.