Compare towns
Dover vs Salem 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
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Salem has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Salem | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
30,964 |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
44.6±2.7Highest 3% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Salem 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 NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Salem 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% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 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 |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Bow and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
| Salem 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 |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Salem 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% |
5% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.6% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Salem School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Salem High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.2Lowest |
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.