Compare towns
Bow vs Canton vs Wakefield
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%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
24,748 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Highest 10% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Canton and Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2Lowest 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% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Canton 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. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,560Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% 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% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Wakefield 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Canton High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.