Compare towns
Bow vs Eliot vs Rye
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 kids (25% under 18).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Eliot | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
7,146 |
5,611Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Rye and Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rye and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
| Bow and Rye 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. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Rye 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Rye 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% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Rye 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.