Compare towns
Dover vs Bow vs Wardsboro vs Stratton
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k median).
Stratton has the youngest population (median age 31.5).
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 | Wardsboro | Stratton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
8,335Highest |
820 |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
51.6±7.3 33% above U.S. |
31.5±4.1Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
28%±7.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.7%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Dover 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. |
$62,000±$6k 23% below U.S. |
$122,708±$33k 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$299,300±$47kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$400,000±$50k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,479±$224 5% above U.S. |
$1,208±$979 15% below U.S. |
| Bow and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,345Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$4,750 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±69.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wardsboro 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| 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 | 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.