Compare towns
Bow vs Kittery vs Pelham
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).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Kittery | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
10,473 |
14,449Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pelham 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Bow 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. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kittery and Bow 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. |
$8,634 177% 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% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Kittery Public Schools | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.9Lowest |
10.4 |
| 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.