Compare towns
Bow vs Brunswick vs Gorham
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).
Brunswick has the most affordable homes ($376k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Bow | Brunswick | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
22,336Highest |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40±2.8 about the U.S. average |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Brunswick 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% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brunswick and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
| Bow and Gorham 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. |
$1,469±$99Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Bow 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. |
$4,756Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick 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% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Brunswick 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Brunswick High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
10.9Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.