Compare towns
Dover vs Wolfeboro 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).
Wolfeboro has the oldest population (median age 57).
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 | Wolfeboro | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
6,571Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% NH: 40.6% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$7k 4% below NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% 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 |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.1Lowest |
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.