What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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	Barre	Bow
People
Population	5,572Lowest	8,335Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Barre and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Barre and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,727±$13kLowest 33% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S.	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.
	Bow and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Lowest 66% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bow and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#134 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Quabbin	Bow School District
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	12.8Lowest
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.