Compare towns
Bow vs Kennebunk vs Suncook
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).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Suncook has the most renters (40.5% rent).
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 | Kennebunk | Suncook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
11,820Highest |
5,432Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
37.9±8.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Suncook 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% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Kennebunk 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. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$79,836±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$361,100±$22kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,091±$317Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Bow and Kennebunk 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. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,975 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suncook 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Kennebunk High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.