Compare towns
Kittery vs Brookline vs Bow
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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.
| Measure | Kittery | Brookline | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473Highest |
5,736Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Bow 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. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Kittery 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Kittery 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% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Brookline School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.