Compare towns
Nelson vs Bowdoin vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 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 | Nelson | Bowdoin | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 648 |
3,188Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.3±10Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.2±17.7 11% above U.S. |
| Bowdoin and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±10.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Nelson and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$49kHighest about the U.S. average |
$292,800±$71kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$323,100±$219k about the U.S. average |
| Nelson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,575 79% above U.S. |
$3,375Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,787Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±68.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nelson and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Nelson School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.