Compare towns

Bow vs Kittery vs Newington

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).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k 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.

MeasureBowKitteryNewington
People
Population
8,335
10,473Highest
939Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2Lowest
7% above U.S.
46.8±2.3
20% above U.S.
48.7±10.1Highest
25% above U.S.
Newington and Kittery 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%
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
15.7%±4.9
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
28%±11Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Newington 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
46%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.8Lowest
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.
$93,728±$14kLowest
16% above U.S.
$145,833±$46k
81% above U.S.
Bow and Newington 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.
$468,500±$31kLowest
41% above U.S.
$861,600±$46kHighest
159% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Lowest
9% above U.S.
$1,716±$224
21% above U.S.
$2,292±$795Highest
62% above U.S.
Newington and Kittery 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.
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
$6,081
95% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
62.9%±44Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Newington 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%
6.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
1984
4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
23 min
12% below U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
8%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 120 in NH #17 of 133 in ME —
School district Bow School District Kittery Public Schools Newington School District
High school in town Bow High School Robert W Traip Academy None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
9.9Lowest
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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.