What stands out worked out from the figures below

Billerica has the most expensive homes ($612k 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	Billerica	Bow
People
Population	42,003Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.3±1.6Highest 11% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Billerica and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Billerica and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Billerica and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$148,200±$8kLowest 84% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,358Lowest 104% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.3%±8.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Billerica and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	19.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow and Billerica 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	#146 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical	Bow School District
High school in town	Billerica Memorial High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Highest	12.8Lowest
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.