Compare towns
Bow vs Canton vs Natick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Natick has the most expensive homes ($821k 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.
| Measure | Bow | Canton | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
24,748 |
36,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
43.3±1.4Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Natick and Canton 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% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Natick and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Natick 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. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$138,538±$11kLowest 72% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$821,000±$25kHighest 147% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
| Canton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,560Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$8,914 186% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Natick 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Natick 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Natick |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Canton High | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.1Highest |
12.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.