Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Hooksett vs Bow vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Hooksett | Bow | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
15,057Highest |
8,335 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton 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% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton 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% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Bow 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 |
$117,962±$11kLowest 19% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
| 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 20% above NH |
$407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below 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±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,661±$206Highest 11% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
| Hooksett and Sutton 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 |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
29 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Hooksett School District | Bow School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.