Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Bow vs Hollis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has the most affordable homes ($484k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hollis has the most expensive homes ($676k 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 | Dunbarton | Bow | Hollis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
8,335 |
8,603Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
49.4±5Highest 14% above NH |
| Hollis and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
21%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hollis and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21kLowest 26% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$168,883±$22k 71% above NH |
| Bow and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$675,900±$48kHighest 68% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,598±$302Highest 7% above NH |
| Hollis and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
29%±6.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hollis 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #8 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Bow School District | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Hollis-Brookline High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| 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.