Compare towns
Sutton vs Webster vs Bow vs Dunbarton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($339k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Sutton | Webster | Bow | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,239 |
2,227Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
44.7±7.6 3% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±8 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±1.3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% NH: 40.6% |
30.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
$107,171±$14kLowest 8% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$338,500±$30kLowest 16% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,396±$622 6% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Sutton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,652 15% above NH |
$6,021Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
53.6%±71 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% NH: 7.2% |
9.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.7% NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above NH |
31 min 14% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
17.1%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Webster 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 | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kearsarge Regional School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.