Compare towns
Pembroke vs Topsham 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
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Topsham has the oldest population (median age 44.7).
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 | Pembroke | Topsham | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438Lowest |
9,706Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20k 12% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589 143% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pembroke and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Topsham 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | Mt Ararat High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.2Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.