Compare towns
Bow vs Gray vs Hermon
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%).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Gray | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,429Highest |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Gray and Bow 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% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Hermon 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon and Gray 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% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Gray 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. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Hermon 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. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.