Compare towns
Amherst vs Bow vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Kennebunk has the oldest population (median age 54.6).
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 | Amherst | Bow | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
8,335Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Amherst 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.