Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton 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).
Hampton has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
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.
| Measure | Bow | Hampton | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,426Highest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton 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% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Kittery 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. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Bow 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. |
$1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Hampton 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. |
$6,813 118% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3Lowest 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Winnacunnet High School | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.1 |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.