Compare towns
Appleton vs Bow vs Penobscot vs Sullivan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Appleton | Bow | Penobscot | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
8,335Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,246 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.4±5.7Highest 37% above U.S. |
47.1±15 21% above U.S. |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±6 U.S.: 22% |
18%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
32%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$63,194±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$59,643±$14k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$296,400±$58k 11% below U.S. |
$222,000±$33kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,141±$33 19% below U.S. |
$883±$114Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$1,852Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$2,228 29% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.9%±23.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±13.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Penobscot 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 | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Bow School District | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.5Lowest |
| 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.