Compare towns
Bow vs Lancaster vs Mendon
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k 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 | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,606Highest |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Mendon 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kLowest 64% above U.S. |
| Bow and Lancaster 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. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$7,213Lowest 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Bow 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.