Compare towns
Bow vs Ogunquit vs West Bath
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 most kids (25% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 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.
| Measure | Bow | Ogunquit | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and West Bath 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% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and West Bath 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% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%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% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and West Bath 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. |
$103,333±$27kLowest 28% above 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. |
$422,800±$102kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
— | $1,112±$327Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Bow and West Bath 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Bath 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.