Compare towns
Dover vs Plymouth vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Plymouth | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
4,969Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+6.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$89,500±$32kLowest 10% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$294,400±$28kLowest 27% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,296±$295Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| 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 24% above NH |
$6,483Lowest about the NH average |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Bow 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% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.