Compare towns
Madbury vs Keene vs Bow vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% 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 | Madbury | Keene | Bow | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
22,939 |
8,335 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Keene and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Dover and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Dover 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Keene School District | Bow School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | Bow High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.