Compare towns
Bow vs Biddeford 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
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Bow | Biddeford | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
22,498Highest |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
35±2.6Lowest 10% below U.S. |
37.9±8.1 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest 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+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
11%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$72,333±$4kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$79,836±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$396,600±$25k 19% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,292±$100 9% below U.S. |
$1,091±$317Lowest 23% 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. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suncook and Bow 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% |
12.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Suncook 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 | #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 | 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.