Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Appleton vs Sutton vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Sutton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Dunbarton | Appleton | Sutton | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
1,360Lowest |
2,239 |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31k 61% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70 17% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233 164% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Sutton 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | — | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Appleton Public Schools | Kearsarge Regional School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.