Compare towns
Bow vs Eliot vs Madbury
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
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 | Eliot | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,146 |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Bow 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Madbury 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. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30k 84% above U.S. |
| Bow and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31kLowest 43% 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±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Madbury 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.