Compare towns
Townsend vs Dover vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Townsend | Dover | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
33,364Highest |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Dover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Dover 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #64 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Dover School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.