Compare towns
Bow vs Standish vs Sidney
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).
Standish has the youngest population (median age 40.5).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Standish | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,662Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Bow 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Sidney 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sidney 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
| Bow and Sidney 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. |
$3,005 4% below U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish 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% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Sidney 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.5Lowest |
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| 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.