Compare towns

Kittery vs Bow vs York

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Kittery has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
York has the most expensive homes ($636k median).

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.

MeasureKitteryBowYork
People
Population
10,473
8,335Lowest
13,986Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
46.8±2.3
20% above U.S.
41.5±2Lowest
7% above U.S.
49.5±5.2Highest
27% above U.S.
York and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±3.3
U.S.: 22%
Bow and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
26.9%±4.9
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.9%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
York and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.5%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bow and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$93,728±$14kLowest
16% above U.S.
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$121,250±$25k
50% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$468,500±$31kLowest
41% above U.S.
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$636,400±$30kHighest
91% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,716±$224Highest
21% above U.S.
$1,539±$178
9% above U.S.
$1,490±$336Lowest
5% above U.S.
Kittery and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
$4,658
49% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
56.5%±10.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
York and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
67.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
24 min
11% below U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±7.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
26%±3.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
York and Kittery 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 #17 of 133 in ME #26 of 120 in NH #13 of 133 in ME
School district Kittery Public Schools Bow School District York Public Schools
High school in town Robert W Traip Academy Bow High School York High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9
12.8Highest
9.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.