What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Hadley
People
Population	8,335Highest	5,306Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S.
	Hadley and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hadley 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	61.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hadley 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.	$119,259±$12kLowest 48% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.	$511,000±$43kHighest 54% above U.S.
	Hadley and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average
	Bow and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$5,271Lowest 69% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bow and Hadley 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%	6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	20.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow and Hadley 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	#116 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Hadley
High school in town	Bow High School	Hopkins Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	7.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.