What stands out worked out from the figures below

York has the most expensive homes ($636k 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	York	Bow
People
Population	13,986Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.5±5.2Highest 27% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,250±$25kLowest 50% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,490±$336Lowest 5% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.
	Bow and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,658Lowest 49% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	York and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than 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	26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	York and Bow 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	#13 of 133 in ME	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	York Public Schools	Bow School District
High school in town	York High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.