What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).

Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

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	Central Falls
People
Population	8,335Lowest	22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Central Falls and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Central Falls 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.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls 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%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Bow School District	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Bow High School	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.