Compare towns
Bow vs Ogunquit vs Salem vs Brookline
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%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 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 | Ogunquit | Salem | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
1,379Lowest |
30,964Highest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Bow 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. |
$110,490±$9kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline 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. |
$473,300±$16kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,625±$146 15% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Salem 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,992 124% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #38 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Salem School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Salem High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.