Compare towns
Bow vs Lyme vs Ogunquit
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).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Lyme | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,710 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Ogunquit 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. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Bow and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lyme 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Lyme School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.