Compare towns
Pembroke vs Dorchester 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
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Bow has the most expensive homes ($507k median).
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 | Pembroke | Dorchester | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438 |
410Lowest |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.8% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
— | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
— | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589 14% above NH |
$3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Pembroke and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
40 minHighest 50% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Pembroke 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | — | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | — | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.