Compare towns
Bow vs Lyme vs Wells
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 most expensive homes ($645k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,710Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest 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% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Lyme 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% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest 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% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Wells 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. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| 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. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Wells 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Lyme School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.