Compare towns

Bow vs Newmarket vs Kittery

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).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).

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.

MeasureBowNewmarketKittery
People
Population
8,335Lowest
9,463
10,473Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
41.2±1.9Lowest
6% above U.S.
46.8±2.3Highest
20% above U.S.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.1%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
49.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
46%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$100,845±$13k
25% above U.S.
$93,728±$14kLowest
16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
52% above U.S.
$455,000±$22kLowest
37% above U.S.
$468,500±$31k
41% 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±$178Lowest
9% above U.S.
$1,671±$69
18% above U.S.
$1,716±$224Highest
21% above U.S.
Kittery and Newmarket 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.
$8,734
180% above U.S.
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
46.3%±8.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Newmarket 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%
4.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
28 minHighest
7% above U.S.
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.3%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 120 in NH #39 of 120 in NH #17 of 133 in ME
School district Bow School District Newmarket School District Kittery Public Schools
High school in town Bow High School Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School Robert W Traip Academy
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
9.9Lowest
9.9Lowest
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.