What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brunswick has the most affordable homes ($376k median).

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brunswick	Bow
People
Population	22,336Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.
	Bow and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	22.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,952±$6kLowest 7% below U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$376,300±$15kLowest 13% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$99Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.
	Bow and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,756Lowest 52% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Brunswick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 11% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow and Brunswick 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	#30 of 133 in ME	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10	Bow School District
High school in town	Brunswick High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.