Compare towns
Suncook vs Kittery 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
Suncook has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Suncook | Kittery | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,432Lowest |
10,473Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.9±8.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest 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 | $79,836±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,100±$22kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Bow and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$317Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% 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 | $6,975 124% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Suncook and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.5%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Kittery Public Schools | Bow School District |
| High school in town | — | Robert W Traip Academy | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.