Compare towns
Bow vs Kennebunk vs York
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%).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k 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 | Kennebunk | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
11,820 |
13,986Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2 27% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and York 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% |
17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and York 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% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and York 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% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1% 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%±1.3Lowest 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±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25k 50% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,490±$336 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and York 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. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$4,658Lowest 49% 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% |
56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| York 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 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 |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and York 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 | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 21 | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Kennebunk High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.6 |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.