Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Salisbury 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
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Salisbury | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097 |
1,609Lowest |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
51.5±4.5Highest 19% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Salisbury 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 NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Salisbury 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% NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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 |
$111,591±$17kLowest 13% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$363,400±$47kLowest 10% below 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 |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Salisbury 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 |
$5,859Lowest 12% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| 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.