Compare towns
Bow vs Readfield vs Windham
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Readfield has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Readfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,651Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Readfield and Bow 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% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow 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. |
$326,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,125±$844Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$3,392Lowest 9% 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% |
31.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham 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% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 38 | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.