Compare towns
Bow vs Concord vs Needham
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 homeowners (87.5%).
Concord has the most renters (43.2% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Concord | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
44,375Highest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.7±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Needham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Bow 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% |
18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Concord and Needham 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% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Concord 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±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$84,902±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$7,227Lowest 132% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Concord 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Needham |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Concord High School | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.0Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.