Compare towns
Gilsum vs Bow vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gilsum has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Dalton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Gilsum | Bow | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 716Lowest |
8,335Highest |
916 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.8±8.1Highest 3% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
44.5±12.9 about the NH average |
| Gilsum and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±11.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.8%±1.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Gilsum and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±4.3 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,417±$7kLowest 19% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$81,429±$36k 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,500±$32k 40% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$191,400±$68kLowest 52% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,575±$894Highest 6% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$900±$825Lowest 40% below NH |
| Gilsum and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,579 16% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$3,561Lowest 47% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.5%±55.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±83.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Gilsum and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
19.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
20 minLowest 26% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.9%±8.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.9%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Gilsum 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Monadnock Regional School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.