Compare towns
Stark vs Bow vs Dummer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stark has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Bow has the most expensive homes ($507k median).
Dummer has the shortest commute (25 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 | Stark | Bow | Dummer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 419 |
8,335Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 58.8±3.6Highest 36% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
53.6±6.4 24% above NH |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±6.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.4%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.5% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
16.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±4.7 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,750±$23kLowest 28% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$91,250±$21k 8% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $197,700±$34kLowest 51% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$242,200±$51k 40% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,636Lowest 60% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$2,898 57% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stark and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 6% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.9%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Stark 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 | Stark 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.