Compare towns
Bow vs Everett vs Worcester
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%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($374k 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 | Everett | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
50,045 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
35.2±1.5 10% below U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Everett 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% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,880 56% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Everett and Worcester 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% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #264 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Everett | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Everett High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.