Compare towns
Topsham vs Bow vs Lisbon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Topsham | Bow | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
8,335Lowest |
9,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
38.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
22.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lisbon 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%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest 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±$10k 13% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 8% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$258,300±$26kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$979±$286Lowest 31% below 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 | $4,259 37% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,324Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Topsham 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% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±9.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Bow School District | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Bow High School | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.8 |
15.8Highest |
| 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.