Compare towns

Bow vs Concord vs Eliot vs Kittery

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).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).

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.

MeasureBowConcordEliotKittery
People
Population
8,335
44,375Highest
7,146Lowest
10,473
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
40.7±1.3Lowest
5% above U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
46.8±2.3
20% above U.S.
Eliot and Kittery 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%±1.3
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.7%±1.5
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
Eliot and Kittery 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%
42.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
46%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6%±0.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Concord and Bow 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.
$84,902±$5kLowest
5% above U.S.
$101,522±$10k
26% above U.S.
$93,728±$14k
16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
52% above U.S.
$350,900±$13kLowest
5% above U.S.
$498,900±$62k
50% above U.S.
$468,500±$31k
41% above U.S.
Bow and Eliot 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.
$1,441±$43Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,948±$471Highest
38% above U.S.
$1,716±$224
21% above U.S.
Eliot and Kittery 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.
$7,227
132% above U.S.
$4,549
46% above U.S.
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
44.1%±5.2
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and Concord 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%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
56.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1969
11 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
23 min
13% below U.S.
23 min
15% below U.S.
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.1%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 120 in NH #89 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME #17 of 133 in ME
School district Bow School District Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 Kittery Public Schools
High school in town Bow High School Concord High School None in town Robert W Traip Academy
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8
13.0Highest
—
9.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.