Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Madison vs Middlesex 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
Madison has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Madison | Middlesex | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
2,680 |
1,943Lowest |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
50.3±9.7Highest 29% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Madison 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Madison 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% |
23.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Madison and Middlesex 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% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Middlesex 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. |
$102,697±$11kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$388,700±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% 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±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,556±$256Highest 10% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Madison 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. |
$4,074Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.2%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Madison 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% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Madison School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.