Compare towns
Dunstable vs Bow vs Nashua
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has the most expensive homes ($674k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Nashua has the most renters (44.2% rent).
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 | Dunstable | Bow | Nashua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
8,335 |
91,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dunstable and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 158% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$96,326±$5kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Dunstable and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 103% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$403,900±$11kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Nashua and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020 189% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,799Lowest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±4.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunstable and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Dunstable 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #67 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Bow School District | Nashua School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Nashua High School South |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.