Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Standish vs Bow vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Standish | Bow | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
10,662 |
8,335 |
15,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dunbarton and Bow 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% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Standish and Hooksett 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. |
$104,593±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% 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. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Hooksett 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. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish 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% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 120 in NH | #18 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Bow School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.