Compare towns
Bow vs Brookline vs Standish
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k 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 | Brookline | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,736Lowest |
10,662Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Standish 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% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Brookline School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.