What stands out worked out from the figures below

Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Topsham	Bow
People
Population	9,706Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Topsham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.8Lowest 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	$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,355±$642Lowest 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	$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Topsham and Bow 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%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest same as U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	17.2%±4.3Lowest 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	#66 of 133 in ME	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	RSU 75/MSAD 75	Bow School District
High school in town	Mt Ararat High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.