What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Billerica has the most expensive homes ($612k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Billerica
People
Population	8,335Lowest	42,003Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	43.3±1.6Highest 11% 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	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18%±1.5Highest 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+	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±1.3Highest 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	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$148,200±$8kLowest 84% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.	$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.	$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$6,358Lowest 104% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	42.3%±8.9Highest 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	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.5%±3.3Lowest 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	#26 of 120 in NH	#146 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Bow High School	Billerica Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.1Highest
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.