Compare towns
Eliot vs Bow vs Windham vs Rockport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Rockport has the shortest commute (11 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 | Eliot | Bow | Windham | Rockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
8,335 |
16,038Highest |
3,675Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.7±3.7 25% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±5.2 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+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$86,979±$16kLowest 8% 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 | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$469,000±$50kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,194±$667Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,764 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±42.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
11 minLowest 57% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #8 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bow School District | Windham School District | Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | Camden Hills Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
12.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.



