Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Gilford vs Epping 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
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Dunbarton | Gilford | Epping | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
7,830 |
7,430 |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Gilford and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Gilford 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% |
21.8%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Epping and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% NH: 40.6% |
45.4% NH: 40.6% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Epping 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 26% above NH |
$116,635±$11k 18% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| 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 22% below NH |
$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,742±$576Highest 17% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Epping and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233 23% above NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Epping 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 | #45 of 120 in NH | #77 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Gilford School District | Epping School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gilford High School | Epping High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
9.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.