Compare towns
Bow vs Kittery vs Pembroke
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).
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($372k 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 | Kittery | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,473Highest |
7,438Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Pembroke 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% |
24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pembroke 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% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest 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% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest 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±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$371,500±$20kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Bow and Kittery 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. |
$1,218±$354Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| 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. |
$7,589 143% 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% |
48.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pembroke 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Kittery Public Schools | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
9.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.