Compare towns

Dunbarton vs Plainfield vs Sutton 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

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).

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.

MeasureDunbartonPlainfieldSuttonBow
People
Population
3,097
1,314Lowest
2,239
8,335Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9%
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
48±3.7
23% above U.S.
48.1±5.5Highest
24% above U.S.
48.1±4.1Highest
24% above U.S.
41.5±2Lowest
7% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.8%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
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
U.S.: 17.2%
21.1%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
21.6%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Sutton and Plainfield 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%
48.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
44.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
2.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±3.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bow and Sutton 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.
$69,250±$31kLowest
14% below U.S.
$130,313±$31k
61% above U.S.
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
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
46% above U.S.
$318,400±$34kLowest
4% below U.S.
$362,600±$16k
9% 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.
$1,153±$103Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,656±$614Highest
17% above U.S.
$1,539±$178
9% above U.S.
Sutton 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.
$4,806Lowest
54% above U.S.
$7,652
145% above U.S.
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.7%±60.7
U.S.: 51.1%
73.2%±53.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
27.6%±47.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Plainfield 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%
11.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1990Highest
10 yrs newer than U.S.
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
27% above U.S.
24 minLowest
9% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
12.6%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.4%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
14.8%±5.6
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Bow and Plainfield 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 — Kearsarge Regional School District Bow School District
High school in town None in town — Kearsarge Regional High School Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
10.4Lowest
12.8Highest
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.