What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Biddeford
People
Population	8,335Lowest	22,498Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.	35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S.
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bow and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$396,600±$25kLowest 19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,292±$100Lowest 9% below U.S.
	Bow and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bow and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#111 of 133 in ME
School district	Bow School District	Biddeford Public Schools
High school in town	Bow High School	Biddeford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.