Compare towns
Dover vs Mapleton vs Bow vs Keene
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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Bow | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,884Lowest |
8,335 |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.8±6Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Mapleton 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Keene and Mapleton 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% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Dover 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 | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bow School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Bow High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | 12.8Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| 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.