Compare towns
Bow vs Framingham 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 affordable homes ($507k median).
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
72,399Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Bow and Windham 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% |
21.7%±1.6Lowest 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%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Windham 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% |
48.7%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% |
6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$107,419±$6kLowest 33% 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±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,033±$57 44% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,884Lowest 121% 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% |
53.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Framingham 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% |
10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 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. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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 | #229 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Framingham High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.