Compare towns
Peru vs Bow vs Dorset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Peru | Bow | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,092 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorset and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83k 88% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$111,250±$40kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Bow and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,489 140% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset and Bow 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 | — | Bow School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.