Compare towns
Bow vs Dracut vs Methuen vs Windham
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k 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 | Dracut | Methuen | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
32,574 |
53,475Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Dracut 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% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen 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. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% 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% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dracut | Methuen | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High | Methuen High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
12.9 |
13.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.