Compare towns
Amherst vs Gray vs Ogunquit 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
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Amherst | Gray | Ogunquit | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861Highest |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Gray 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. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% 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±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.5 |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.