Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Hampton vs Wolfeboro 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%).
Hampton has the most renters (26.2% rent).
Wolfeboro has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Hampton | Wolfeboro | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
16,426Highest |
6,571 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
55.8±2.1 29% above NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Wolfeboro and Hampton 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% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Hampton 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% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest 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±$21k 26% above NH |
$95,233±$9k 4% below NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33kLowest 20% above NH |
$550,200±$39kHighest 37% above NH |
$546,500±$60k 36% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Hampton and Wolfeboro 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 |
$1,628±$94Highest 9% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Hampton 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 |
$6,813 about the NH average |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Winnacunnet High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
11.1 |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.