Compare towns
Dover vs Bow vs Fairlee
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k 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 | Bow | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466 |
8,335Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Bow School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.