Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Salem 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%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
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.
| Measure | Dunbarton | Salem | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
30,964Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Dunbarton and Salem 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% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest 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%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% NH: 40.6% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Salem 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 |
$110,490±$9kLowest 12% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$473,300±$16kLowest 18% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above 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 |
$1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Salem 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 |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Salem 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Salem 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Salem School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.