Compare towns
Bow vs North Hampton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
North Hampton has the most expensive homes ($670k median).
Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | North Hampton | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
4,543Lowest |
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±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.5±3.3Highest 30% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| North Hampton and Kittery 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% |
19.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and North Hampton 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%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 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. |
$146,458±$29k 81% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Bow and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$670,400±$61kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,805±$106Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| North Hampton and Kittery 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. |
$8,529 173% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Kittery 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% |
2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Hampton 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 | #12 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | North Hampton School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 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.