Compare towns
Billerica vs Bow vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Billerica has the most renters (20.6% rent).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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.
| Measure | Billerica | Bow | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
8,335Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% 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%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,000±$13k 84% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173 62% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358Lowest 104% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Billerica 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Bow School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Bow High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.