Compare towns
Bow vs Ogunquit vs Ellsworth
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Ogunquit | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,379Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Ellsworth 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Ellsworth 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Bow and Ogunquit 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.