Compare towns
Dover vs Lee vs Bow vs Portsmouth
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 youngest population (median age 36.9).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k 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 | Lee | Bow | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
4,576Lowest |
8,335 |
22,545 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Portsmouth 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% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
— | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 24% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth 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% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Bow High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | 12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.