Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Bow vs Windham 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
Portsmouth has the oldest population (median age 42.9).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Dover has the most affordable homes ($437k 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 | Portsmouth | Bow | Windham | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,545 |
8,335Lowest |
16,038 |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
| Portsmouth and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Bow School District | Windham School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Bow High School | Windham High School | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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.