Compare towns
Bow vs Framingham vs Dunbarton
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 highest household income ($173k).
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Framingham | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
72,399Highest |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Framingham 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% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dunbarton 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Framingham 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±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$627,300±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,033±$57Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,884Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Framingham 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% |
10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Framingham 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 | #229 of 282 in MA | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Framingham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
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| 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.