Compare towns
Weare vs Bow vs Hooksett 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
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.4%).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Weare | Bow | Hooksett | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
8,335 |
5,876 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+27.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.6±2 about the NH average |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.7%±3.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Hooksett and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.2%±3.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$101,053±$25kLowest about the NH average |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26k about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$348,100±$32kLowest 14% below 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 | $1,541±$214 3% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,811±$283Highest 21% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Hooksett and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272 6% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,960Lowest 26% below NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
72.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
29 min 9% above NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.4%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Bow School District | — | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Bow High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
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.