Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Middlesex vs Strafford 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
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 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 | Middlesex | Strafford | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
1,943 |
1,372Lowest |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Strafford 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±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. |
$109,632±$13kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% 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±$70 17% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Middlesex 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. |
$6,483Lowest 108% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Strafford 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Strafford School District | 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.