Compare towns
Exeter vs Bow vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Exeter | Bow | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
8,335Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
| Bow and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Bow High School | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 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.