Compare towns
South Berwick vs Bow vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k 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.
| Measure | South Berwick | Bow | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,670Lowest |
8,335 |
8,429Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gray and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
| South Berwick and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956 59% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bow School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Bow High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.8 |
12.5Lowest |
| 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.