Compare towns
Dover vs Henniker vs Bow vs Lebanon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Bow | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,197Lowest |
8,335 |
14,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
| Bow and Lebanon 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% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lebanon 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% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
| Lebanon 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 |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,149Lowest 22% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Henniker 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lebanon and Bow 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Henniker School District | Bow School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Bow High School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | 12.8Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| 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.