Compare towns
Bath vs Bow vs Suncook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Suncook has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
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 | Bath | Bow | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
8,335 |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
37.9±8.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bath and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$79,836±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,091±$317 23% below U.S. |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.